Category Archives: Fiction

The Inn At Shadow Lake

The Inn At Shadow Lake (Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense #36)

The Inn At Shadow Lake by the late Janet Edgar

If someone proposed to you years ago, and you refused, could you see yourself dating that person years later?

Zach and Julie dated in college and when he asked Julie to marry him, she refused, angering Zach. He stormed off on his Harley, not giving Julie a chance to explain why she’d said no.

Now, a number of years later, Julie is stunned when Jack miraculously appears at her inn. He’s the “mystery man” who’s made reservations to stay at her establishment for a lengthy time. Unbeknownst to Julie, Zack is a special agent, seeking a deadly terrorist ring and Julie is a prime suspect.

As part of the ruse, Jack needs to pump Julie for information about one of her “beaus”. He romances Julie, asking questions, however, while romancing her, he finds those dormant feelings of love resurfacing. But his gut is telling him that Julie is innocent, however, he wonders…why hasn’t she mentioned that her groundskeeper was murdered? Is she somehow responsible for his death?

Julie finds herself falling for Zach and her daughter Emmie is smitten with him, too. Since her husband has died, she’s been lonely, and Zach fills a special place, deep in her heart. She senses that Zach is hurting and she wonders what has happened to him since their huge breakup in college.

This book was a good shorter book that you can read in about a day or so. The suspenseful moments keep you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed reading about the classy, secluded inn. It’s a great setting for a good suspenseful story. Both Zach and Julie have been hurt in the past, and they need to learn to rely on God, first and foremost, to help them through their troubles. Overall, this was a nice, inspirational story that wasn’t too preachy.

So, if someone proposed to you years ago, and you refused, could you see yourself dating that person years later?

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Secret Life Of Bees – A Secular Title

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Have you read this book (or saw the movie)? If so, what do you recall liking about this story?

This book has been sitting on my shelf for several years. My sister loaned it to me because she’d said it was an awesome novel. Of course, I’ve heard a lot about this book over the years, and I know a movie was made starring Queen Latifah. I plan on watching the movie and compare it to the book for one of my Saturday Matinee blog entries.

Lily lives in the south with her mean, unlovable, abusive father. Living on her dad’s peach orchard proves a bane existence. She’s an outcast at school and her only friend is Rosaleen, her father’s African-American housekeeper. Lily wonders about her mother. Her mother died when she was four, and she has vague memories about her mother’s sudden death – was she the cause of her mother dying?

Due to a racially tense incident, Rosaleen gets arrested and beaten. Lily is able to help Rosaleen escape from jail. Fearful for Rosaleen and herself, Lily sets foot to Tiberon, a town where she believes her mother used to live.

With images of a Black Madonna and a weird succession of events, Rosaleen and Lily are taken in by three beekeeping sisters (named August, June and May) who live in a quirky pink house.

This book was an excellent story. I really loved how you learned about beekeeping. Also, as you get to know the beekeeping sisters, you find out about their struggling relationships and personalities. This book takes place in the South during the times of racial tension – during a time where it would appear strange that a white girl would live with a family of black women.

I especially enjoyed reading about the sisters. Each has a side to them that adds a good amount of momentum to the story. August is the oldest, the leader of their group. May has serious emotional problems which she has trouble controlling. June has been heartbroken once, so she refuses to marry again. June resents Lily’s invasion into their home.

Most of all, this story is poignant because of Lily, who is determined to find the truth about her mother. What really happened to her?

One thing about this novel that kinda bugged me a bit was how the sisters and Lily use a Black Madonna image to worship. The sisters have a “church-like” service and it includes praying to this Black Mary. I guess this bothered me a bit because I’ve never been one to use a token/idol to pray. I prefer praying directly to Jesus himself. The sisters had a historical story about how the Black Madonna/Mary had come into their possession.

This book reminded me of the novel, The Help. One reason is because the author is white, yet a lot of the characters are black. Another reason this book reminded me about The Help is because it takes place during the racially-tense days of the south. I could imagine if you enjoyed The Help, then you’d enjoy The Secret Life of Bees.

Have you read this book (or saw the movie)? If so, what do you recall liking about this story?

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

Double Blind By Brandilyn Collins – Review And Book Giveaway

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Double Blind

Double Blind by Brandilyn Collins

***I’m giving away one copy of Double Blind. To be entered into the giveaway, you must read my review and ANSWER THE following QUESTION:

If you were suffering from severe depression, and were offered a unique cure, a computer chip implanted into your brain to cure your depression, would you do it? Keep in mind that the chip implantation would include brain surgery. Also comment about why you would or would not do this.

Lisa Newberry is battling a deep, dark depression. Her husband was recently killed in a car accident, a short time later she was mugged, and before her husband died, she suffered from multiple miscarriages. Lisa feels she has no hope, so, when a company, Cognoscenti, offers help, she decides to be a part of their new trial study. The study requires Lisa to have a chip implanted into her brain. This new brain chip supposedly offers a “cure” for her depression.

Desperate, she agrees to the terms, which require her to have brain surgery. There’s no guarantee that the chip will help her depression – it’s possible that Lisa will be implanted with a placebo. After the surgery, Lisa feels much better, realizing the chip has “cured” her depression. However, while still in the hospital, recuperating from surgery, Lisa begins having strange dreams and visions – she sees images of a woman being murdered. Are these images just nightmares, or, is she really seeing visions of a real person being murdered?

Determined, Lisa storms into the Cognoscenti offices, wanting to know what they’ve done to her, demanding answers.

Lisa continues to be plagued with these visions and, her mother arrives, offering to help Lisa. Lisa’s relationship with her mother is strained, and she’s not sure if she wants her mother to help her right now. Her best friend, Sherri, also offers assistance to Lisa.

I could easily tell that this was a Brandilyn Collins book. The woman seeing the visions of the murder kind of reminded me of Collins’ book, Eyes Of Elisha. This book kept you guessing until the very end, and it was deeply suspenseful and chilling. It was a quick, page-turning, enjoyable read. There were so many unexpected things happening in this book – you’ll be surprised when you read it.

Amidst all this turmoil, Lisa realizes she needs to stop and think and evaluate her relationship with God, where does she stand with Him?

So, if you were suffering from severe depression, and were offered a unique cure, a computer chip implanted into your brain to cure your depression, would you do it? Leave a comment with your response in order to be entered into the drawing! Don’t forget to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win!

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

Marriage Of Inconvenience (Book One In The Manning Brides)

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Have you ever had a best friend of the opposite sex for several years, without having a romantic relationship with that person? Did either one of you have a secret crush on the other?

The Manning Brides by Debbie Macomber

Marriage Of Inconvenience is the first book in The Manning Brides collection. Jamie Warren wants to have a baby. However, there’s just one problem – who will be the father? Rich Manning, her best friend since high school, seems like the perfect choice. After all, he’s good-looking and she figures his genes will make a great baby. She wants to do artificial insemination, however, Rich doesn’t want to be just a sperm donor. He wants to do what’s right for his child. Therefore, since Jamie wants to have a baby, he suggests their getting married. Stunned, Jamie finally agrees to the marriage. After all, it won’t be a “real” marriage – they’ve signed an agreement and will plan to divorce once Jamie is pregnant with their child.

Marriage between Jamie and Rich is weird, after all, they’re best friends, not lovers. The marriage forces both Jamie and Rich to see one another in a new light. Also, they keep their marriage a secret from most of their family members, and Rich and Jamie continue to live in their separate homes. However, Rich finds himself jealous when he spots Jamie with a platonic male friend. After all, even though their marriage is only for the convenience of their future baby, she is still his wife. Shouldn’t she treat their “marriage” with more dignity and respect?

This book was a light, whimsical, feel-good story. Although it’s not Christian fiction, I think most Christians would still enjoy this book since nothing offensive happens. I really thought it was interesting how Rich and Jamie could be friends for so many years, but, not be romantically involved with one another.

So, have you ever had a best friend of the opposite sex for several years, without having a romantic relationship with that person? Did either one of you have a secret crush on the other? Leave a comment!

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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 It To Claire By Tracey Bateman – From The Blog Archives

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***Note, this is a repeat of an old blog post! Enjoy! I recall this novel being both funny and endearing.

Leave It To Claire by Tracey Bateman

Could you be friends with your unfaithful ex-husband’s new wife? The main character in Leave It To Claire struggles with this predicament.

I really enjoyed this book. The author has the perfect voice for chicklit(or momlit, not sure about the correct way to categorize this story). The story is about Claire Everett, a fairly successful romance author and the struggles she has to go through to raise her four kids as a single mother. Claire struggles to forgive her ex-husband, Rick, for his infidelity. He had an affair, and since their divorce, he’s gotten remarried. Claire finds it hard to have a relationship with Rick’s fairly new wife since Claire has a hard time separating the fact that Darcy is NOT the woman who Rick had an affair with. Subconsciously, and wrongly, she blames Darcy for her marital breakup.

As Claire deals with her issues, she suffers through two carpal tunnel syndrome surgeries, and struggles to accept Darcy’s kind offer to help. As a result of her son’s behavioral problems, she must attend family therapy with her husband and Darcy in order to discover the root to her son’s problems. She also makes a list of things to do to improve her life. She promises herself to strengthen her faith in God, as well as improve her relationship with her family. She decides to have family study time and weekly social events with her kids, hoping to bond with them.

Claire also finds herself attracted to Greg, her son’s handsome teacher. When her mother moves to another state, she is saddened. However, when Greg buys her mother’s home(down the street from her house) and moves in with his young daughter, Claire discovers he is a widower. She fantasizes about having a relationship with her son’s teacher, and he’s there for her when she goes through her anxiety attacks.

In the end, a rude awakening takes place when Darcy forces Claire to admit to her role in her husband’s infidelity. Darcy makes Claire come to terms with her mistakes, and to admit to the mistakes she’s made in her marriage to Rick.

This book was excellent. Although the family would be considered dysfunctional, the author uses her humorous voice to show how Claire deals with her problems. Tracey Bateman also shows us how, if we find our faith wavering, we need to make solid decisions about making our faith stronger in God.

So, could you be friends with your unfaithful ex-husband’s new wife? Leave a comment!

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

Truly Yours Digital Editions – On Sale For $1.99!

Amish Fiction – Interesting Article

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Here’s an interesting article about the popularity of Amish fiction. Read it and tell me your opinion…

~Cecelia Dowdy~

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Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

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Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck

Have you ever been presented with a highly-appealing opportunity, and you accepted it, even though you had serious doubts?

Elle has a happy life living in her small southern town. Realizing she has “no talent” as an artist, she runs her successful art gallery. She’s also dating Jeremiah, a pastor at her church. Jeremiah’s charismatic personality is appealing to Elle, and when he asks her to marry him, she says yes.

However, problems crop up once Jeremiah moves to his new mega-church in Dallas. Jeremiah’s career takes all of his time, leaving little time for him to spend with Elle. His charismatic attitude turns domineering when he “forces” Elle to sell her gallery, and after he breaks an important promise to her, their relationship tumbles downward.

Amidst this downward spiral, Elle finds solace from Heath, a recent widower with a four-year-old daughter. Heath needs some time to heal from his recent loss, plus, he needs to spend some time with his daughter. Taking a hiatus from his high-powered job, he rents Elle’s cottage for six months while she bunks in the nearby art studio.

The story takes an interesting turn as Elle and Heath grow closer and Jeremiah shows up, back from Dallas, wanting to reunite with Elle. Should she give Jeremiah a second chance, or, should she continue her budding relationship with Heath.

This story shows how we should listen to the Lord’s guidance in our lives. At times, we may be presented with an opportunity, and we believe that this opportunity is all that we’ve hoped for. Yet, there’s a niggling doubt in the back of our minds, and such an opportunity may not be what the Lord wants in our lives, but, it’s hard to let such an opportunity go since it’s what we THINK we want.

Elle had doubts when Jeremiah asked her to marry him. They had not been dating for long, yet, she accepted his proposal. Seconds after she accepted, he throws information at her, information that she should’ve known before he proposed. Sometimes, we should listen to our inner voice, the Lord’s nudging, about our decisions, but, that’s so hard to do once we “know” what we’re seeking.

This was a good read with a strong inspirational message.

So, have you ever accepted a highly-appealing opportunity and regretted your decision later? Did you feel the Lord was trying to tell you “NO” by your experiencing doubts and insecurities about your decision? Leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

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Sunday Brunch! Shunning!

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Have you ever had anybody shunned/kicked-out/ex-communicated from your church? If so, what happened? Why was this person released from the church? Did the church now deem this person as unsaved?

I ask these questions because I’ve been talking about the subject of shunning over the last few weeks on the blog posts here and here. I realize the Amish, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses and some other religious groups shun. Yet, there are other Christian-based religions who ex-communicate. I’m just trying to reconcile this practice with scripture. I’ve heard that, at times, those who have been shunned are more likely to commit suicide since they are now separated and ignored by family members and loved ones from their home church.

While I was involved with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I did see some people shunned. It just didn’t seem right to me, but, the Jehovah’s Witnesses always provided scriptures to back up their actions. Even when they did this, it still didn’t seem right. I mean, if someone is truly hurting, or, if said person is asking lots of questions, maybe even questioning the church leaders about church doctrine, then such a person should not be shunned if all they’re doing is seeking truth. Also, I don’t feel that the Lord would want to drive a person to suicide – but, if person has been shunned, then, perhaps, the shunners feel that the shunned person is more susceptible to Satan, therefore making him more vulnerable to hurting him/herself?

What are your thoughts about shunning/excommunicating? Should it be done? Or, should there be a method in place so that the shunned/ex-communicated member still has contact of some sort with their family? Leave a comment!

Below are some scriptures that tell about this thought-provoking subject:

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15: “Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.”

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, ‘You must remove the evil person from among you.’ “

Galatians 6:1 “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”

~Cecelia Dowdy~

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