Category Archives: Fiction

Yuletide Stalker By Irene Brand – From The Blog Archives

Christmas Roses By Amanda Cabot

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~

Sweet Devotion By Felicia Mason

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Sweet Devotion by Felicia Mason

Have you ever attended a church camp? If so, tell me about your church camp experience. What was your favorite camp activity?

Amber Montgomery relocates to Wayside to forget about the abusive relationship she suffered with her ex-boyfriend in Los Angeles, who also happens to be a cop. Amber hates cops, and when Paul Evans mistakenly handcuffs and arrests her, she’s determined that he’ll suffer for his mistake. There’s no way she’s going to be manhandled by another cop.

Paul Evans is stunned that he’s arrested Amber by mistake. Since he’s accidentally bruised her hands during the arrest, he feels even worse. He’s trying to conquer his own demons and he’s now raising his niece and nephew as he comes to terms with things that have happened in his past.

There’s something about Amber that draws him in, in spite of her prickly, no-Jesus attitude. When Amber is hired as a cook for Paul’s church’s summer camp, the twosome find time to spend together, getting to know one another.

Amber’s a preacher’s kid, plus, she’s done lots of missionary work with her parents. She knows what it’s like not to have friends in remote areas – maybe being alone isn’t so bad. But she second guesses her opinions about relationships and faith as she gets closer to Paul.

I really enjoyed this novel. It shows how our faith can falter, almost disappear, because of traumatic circumstances. The lesson learned from this novel is, no matter what happens in your life, God is always there for you, he’ll never leave you or forsake you.

I encourage you to download this novel onto your Kindle, Nook or other e-reader.

So, have you ever attended a church camp? If you have, tell me about some of your church camp experiences. What was your favorite church camp activity? Leave a comment!

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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?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Recent News

The Inn At Shadow Lake

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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?

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