Category Archives: Bethany House

Reclaiming Lily By Patti Lacy

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Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy

Can you imagine being born and raised and not being taught about Jesus? How would that affect your salvation when you are an adult?

Reclaiming Lily is a book that gives you a huge, realistic view of Chinese culture. When Kai was a youngster in China, she knew that she was made to be a healer. After political turmoil ruined her family’s life, her mom is forced to give up the family’s fourth child (Joy/Lily), leaving Joy in an orphanage. Kai, now a Harvard graduate and a medical doctor living in Boston, is determined to reunite with her “lost” sister, Joy. Joy has been adopted by an American family and Kai wants to reunite with Joy – there’s a medical condition that runs in the Chang family and Kai wants to be sure that Joy is not at risk.

This story shows the vast cultural differences between Chinese and Americans. Joy was adopted by a White American family, and her adopted father, Andrew, is a preacher. Joy’s relationship with her parents is difficult and she’s the classic problem child: smoking cigarettes and getting into trouble with the police. Emotional problems run deep within this family and Kai eventually proves to be a welcome reprieve to the tenuous relationship that Joy’s family shares.

I found Kai’s struggle with Christianity the most intense aspect of this novel. Kai was born and raised in China and she does not have a relationship with the Lord. She struggles with understanding the “Christian God” and this book gives a realistic glimpse into the minds of those who are not raised with Christian beliefs – showing why they doubt Jesus.

Can you imagine being born and raised, not being taught about Jesus? Would you be likely to question God more than those who were raised in the Christian faith?

I highly recommend this book as an intense, highly emotional read. The unique story idea as well as the unusual twist near the end will keep you turning those pages, anxious to discover what happens.

Leave a comment and give me your thoughts regarding the bolded questions above – also, if you’ve read this book, I’d like to hear your opinion about it.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Whisper Of Peace By Kim Vogel Sawyer

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A Whisper Of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This book is one of the best I’ve read in 2011! If you haven’t read this book then you need to rush out and buy a copy now! Better yet, download a copy on your Kindle or your Nook!

Lizzie is half-Indian and half-White. One striking feature that shows her mixed race is her vivid blue eyes. Due to her mixed parentage, she’s been shunned and ostracized by her village – which include her own grandparents! She lives apart from the village, alone. Her White father left Lizzie and her mom when Lizzie was twelve. Growing up, her father taught her to read and Lizzie can speak both her native Indian language as well as English. After her mother died, Lizzie has had to survive on her own. She’s lonesome, and she only has her guard dogs for companionship.

When missionaries Clay and Vivian arrive in the Indian village near Lizzie’s home in Alaska, her life takes an interesting turn. During a comical incident where Lizzie is making sugar cookies, she encounters Clay and Vivian for the second time. She longs for companionship and since those in her Indian village have shunned her, she feels she needs to leave Alaska and travel to California where her father lives. Lizzie doesn’t know a whole lot about being White and living in the outside world, so she convinces Vivian to give her lessons that will make her more knowledgable about the outside world – Lizzie longs to be White.

Meanwhile, Clay and Vivian cause turmoil within the Indian village. Their friendship with Lizzie, a shunned Indian, is against tribal rules and they’re ordered to stop communicating with their new friend.

This book was phenomenal! I think Kim V. Sawyer did an awesome job dealing with the issues of race and forgiveness. Plus, the Alaskan setting was wonderful! I also think she did a really great job with her character development! I felt that Lizzie was the strongest, most appealing, character of all. She’s been ostracised, she’s lonesome, and she doesn’t know the love of Jesus. She’s brave and she hunts and fishes, supporting herself, and she doesn’t have the companionship of any other humans. I especially loved seeing her interact with her dogs and I loved the scenes with her working on the fur coat for her grandmother, hoping to make peace with her relative.

This book was emotional, really tugs at your heart. This book is definitely a winner and I highly recommend it.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Daughter Of The Loom – Book 1 – Bells Of Lowell Series

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Daughter Of The Loom by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

This is book #1 in the Bells Of Lowell series.

Forced to work in the mill as her only means of survival, Lilly Armbruster is deeply resentful of the powerful mill owners she believes forced her father’s premature death. Lily is torn, however, when she discovers her one-time betrothed is one with the “lords of the loom.” With her heart conflicted, Lilly’s faith will be put to the test.


Lilly’s life has taken an unexpected turn. Her father is dead and her farm has been sold to a group of people. This group of people, the Boston Associates, want to expand the mills, therefore getting rid of most of the farms. Lilly loved her farm and her ex-beau, Matthew, has joined the Associates, stating that the mills will bring prosperity to Lowell.

Lilly’s brother, Lewis, has gambled away the money that they’ve received from the sale of the farm, so Lilly is left penniless. She must now work to survive and the only job she can find is at the mills, working in the factory making fabric. She’s determined to bring justice into Lowell by putting a stop to the mill operations. However, Lilly needs to learn that vengeance is not something she should take into her own hands.

I thought this book was a good read. The story shows that we need to forgive others for their transgressions. There were so many issues that were dealt with in this book that it’s hard to name them all. Sibling rivalry is one issue that the characters needed to work out. Lilly and her brother Lewis have never gotten along. Lilly finds it hard to forgive Lewis for his gambling, drinking and lewd behavior. Lewis tortured her when they were children, and Lilly finds it hard to understand why her brother hates her so much.

There’s also a set of spinster sisters who run boarding houses for the mill workers. These sisters must learn to overcome their differences to restore their sisterly relationship. And there’s also the issue of lost love. Lilly has broken her engagement to Matthew because she holds him responsible for her father’s death as well as the loss of her farm. Lilly needs to learn that she should listen to God’s voice and really assess the value of the mills instead of taking matters into her own hands.

I thought this book was interesting because it showed the young women working in the mills in the 1800’s. Seeing them turning thread into fabric and seeing spindles, threads, looms, etc. was interesting. Working in the mills is hard on Lilly since she wanted to stay on her farm. Plus there’s a great deal of turmoil at work due to a lewd foreman who threatens the female workers. I thought the work situation was very realistic. The women worked long days with only a half hour for lunch and breakfast. The female workers would have only 30 minutes to rush back to their boarding houses, wolf down their food, and then return to the mills.

Overall a good read. I look forward to reading the other two books in the series.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

To Win Her Heart By Karen Witemeyer

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To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

What will people say? Have you ever hesitated about associating yourself with someone with a questionable past because you were worried about your own reputation? Have you ever worried about what other people would think, instead of helping/befriending someone less fortunate because you didn’t want it to tarnish your good-standing within the community? That’s one question that ran through my mind while reading this book. Leave your responses to these questions in the comments.

Spinster Eden Spencer runs her own library out of her home. She’s wealthy and since she’s been painfully jilted in the past, she doesn’t have any romantic relationships. Instead, she finds solace amoung her book stacks. She also loves reading stories to children every week and she loves flowers.

However, Eden’s non-romantic life changes when tall, strong, and handsome Levi Grant comes to town, hired as the new blacksmith. Levi has some ghosts in his past, he’s just gotten out of prison, and he used to be a prize fighter. It’s a life he’s left behind and he finds himself smitten with Eden and her library. Born with a shaming lisp, Levi takes his time with his speech, choosing to use words that do not have the S sound. Eden mistakenly assumes Levi is dim-witted since he speaks so slowly. Can these two overcome their differences and learn to love one another?

This book dealt with the issue of helping those with unfortunate pasts. In one part, Levi rescues a prostitute’s daughter, Chloe. Levi brings Chloe to Eden since she doesn’t have anyplace to live. Eden hesitates, not wanting to mar her repuation by hiring a prostitute’s daughter to do her housework. Levi convinces her to do the right thing and, as a result, she’s ostracized in the town. The town exhibited very un-Christian behavior in spite of their regular church attendance, which is sadly, very realistic behavior for a lot of Christians.

I enjoyed this novel and felt that the blacksmith/librarian romance added a fresh twist to this romance novel.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Book description:
Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the library she runs. But when the town’s new blacksmith captures her interest, she steels herself against the attraction he provokes. As his hesitant manner and hidden depths break her resolve, will she allow a tarnished hero to win her heart?

Courting Trouble By Deeanne Gist

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Courting Trouble by Deeanne Gist

This book was amazing! It’s probably the best book I’ve read so far in 2011! If you haven’t read this book then I think you should go and purchase your copy today!

Essie is an old maid – she’s just turned 30 and she wants a husband right now! Her desire for a mate spurns her to do a number of things to catch a man: she keeps a list of all of the town’s eligible bachelors along with their positive and negative traits. She offers help to the owner of the general store – hoping her employ will develop into a relationship with the shopkeeper. Her impulsive behavior continues with other men, resulting in her making some dreadful mistakes that haunt her throughout the story.

Essie is wild, carefree, and she loves to ride her bicycle! I never knew that riding a bike could prove so scandalous back in historical times. She loves the outdoors and she loves snakes and bugs and all sorts of things. Her behavior is not one most men would consider for a mate.

I found myself carried back in time and I really felt for Essie and her desire to have a husband. Back then, most people married young, and she was considered an outcast because she was a scandalous old maid and although she has admiration from many of the males in the town, she doesn’t receive many offers of marriage.

I felt the characters in this book were so well-developed and the dialogue was superb! The shopkeeper Hamilton, the cowboy Adam, and Ewing – the nemesis from her childhood, all have a unique role in Essie’s life. I also loved how Essie really cared for people – she has a soft spot for Harley, an orphan in the story, and there were other things she did that showed that she really cared about people.

The book is funny, entertaining and the story just draws you in. I savored every word of this book and after I was finished, I found myself going back, reading certain passages that stuck with me – it is EXTREMELY RARE for me to do this! This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author and I’m anxious to read more stories by Deeanne Gist! I have the sequel on my to-be-read pile. I’ve had this book for a few years now, but never got around to reading it until last weekend and I’m so glad I did! What a pleasant way to spend my time!

Have you read this novel? If so, what did you think about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Product Description
Tired of Waiting for a Match-Made-in-Heaven,
She’ll Settle for One Made in Texas

Whether it’s riding bikes, catching snakes, or sliding down banisters, Essie Spreckelmeyer just can’t quite make herself into the ideal woman her hometown–and her mother–expect her to be. It’s going to take an extraordinary man to appreciate her joy and spontaneity–or so says her doting oil-man father.

Unfortunately such a man doesn’t appear to reside in Corsicana, Texas.

It’s 1894, the year of Essie’s thirtieth birthday, and she decides the Lord has more important things to do than provide her a husband. If she wants one, she needs to catch him herself. So, she writes down the names of all the eligible bachelors in her small Texas town, makes a list of their attributes and drawbacks, closes her eyes, twirls her finger, and … picks one.

But convincing the lucky “husband-to-be” is going to a bit more of a problem.

Join Deeanne Gist for another unforgettable tale and find out whether Essie’s plan to catch a husband succeeds or if she’s just Courting Trouble.

In Every Heartbeat By Kim Vogel Sawyer

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In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a cherished dream. Libby wishes to become a famous journalist, Pete plans to study to become a minister, and Bennett wants to join a fraternity and have as much fun as possible. But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends’ differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well. And when Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete’s family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?

I’ve read several books by this author and this is the first title that I’ve read by K. Sawyer that didn’t have Mennonite main characters.

The country is on the brink of war, and in this historical novel, three friends who have been raised in the same orphanage manage to go to college via scholarship. All three of them have differing aspirations. Petey, the most holy of the group, aspires to be a pastor. However, he does have self-doubts about his life. Pete has a peg leg, and he hates the way it impacts how others treat him. He doesn’t like being different from other people. He has a secret crush on his good friend Libby, but, Libby can’t see herself in a relationship with Petey, who’s almost like a brother to her.

Bennett wants to join a fraternity and initially it appears that God and religion don’t seem to be important in Bennett’s life. He does a few shenanigans, prompted by fraternity brothers, in order to get their approval.

Libby needs a job and when she unexpectedly purchases a magazine one day, she finds short romance stories on the printed pages. Can she make a living writing these short pieces? She needs spending money since her scholarship doesn’t include funds to purchase personal items.

This book uses a fresh setting that you normally don’t see in historical novels. I thought it was interesting that this book was set on a college campus and as I read it I thought about the old saying, “Times change but people don’t.” The children on this college campus remind me of the way young people acted when I was in college back in the eighties. I thought their dreams, aspirations and actions were pretty accurate for a younger crowd.

Getting on my soapbox about my personal feelings about school settings:
I think I found the school setting appealing, too, because I’ve had a re-occurring dream, over the past seven or eight years about school. The dream usually takes place on a college campus, but, occasionally, my dream includes a high school setting. I’m not sure why I keep dreaming about school. The dream pops up a few times a year…a little weird, and I suppose I’m trying to work through something in my life.

You should consider this novel if you want a vivid picture of college life back in 1914.

~Cecelia Dowdy~