Alaskan Holiday

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Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever been to Alaska? If so, did you like it? What did you like most?

Palmer has asked Josie to marry him but she turns him down. Josie has big dreams. She wants to work as a sous-chef for a famous, renowned chef. She’s excited about this opportunity and she doesn’t want to give up her dreams to stay in Ponder with Palmer. Palmer is stunned when Josie turns down his invite. But something happens and the whole course of Josie’s dreams take a drastic turn. What will she do? Will she still be able to take advantage of this amazing opportunity?

This was a nice, peculiar book. The town of Ponder is so small during the off-season – less than ten people live in this remote town when it’s not tourist season. I’m not sure I’d want to live in such a remote place. The living situation of the residents kind of reminded me of historical times, in a way.

I liked how Josie wanted to follow her dreams. Although she likes Palmer she was determined to work at her dream job and I admired her for that. Palmer is a sword-maker. His job is a variation of a blacksmith. When his work was described I was reminded of the blacksmiths that I’ve read about in historical novels. Very interesting line of work and if you make a mistake you must start all over again – which can prove to be daunting.

I also enjoyed reading about Jack’s sourdough starter! Since I have a sourdough starter myself, it was intriguing to read about that in fiction!

This book was a nice, light refreshing read and I truly enjoyed the entire story!

I asked the author, Debbie Macomber, if she used a sourdough starter. Here is her response:

Yes I have a sourdough starter and I like to make pancakes with it. I use real maple syrup and you can get sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour.

So, have you ever been to Alaska? If so, did you like it? What did you like most?

Alaskan HolidayAlaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 
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Honeysuckle Dreams

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Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter

Have you ever fought for custody of your child?

After Brady’s ex-wife dies he’s left raising his baby son alone. When his in-laws seek custody he’ll do anything within his power to keep his young son. Hurt and neglected as a child, he wants to be sure that he doesn’t abandon his son. He admires Hope and loves the way she cares for his son. As they spend time together they find that they may be able to help each other out. But, is Hope the best candidate to help her friend? Hope feels like her life is a mess and she doesn’t want her emotional problems to affect Brady’s and his young son’s lives. Besides, she is being offered the chance of a lifetime and is unsure if motherhood is in the cards for her.

I really liked this sweet, endearing romance. Hope and Brady are friends who like and respect each other. Both of them love Brady’s son, Sam – and their mutual love for Sam creates an even stronger bond between them. This book shows how we really need to face our fears and be truthful to one another so that we can move forward toward the path of healing.

So, have you, or someone you know, ever fought for custody of a child? If so, what happened?

Sad, Sad, Sad

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The other day, someone shared this link to a PW article. Can you imagine sexual harassment at a Christian Writers’ Conference? I’d imagine that when you have a large group, this happens, no matter if it’s secular or Christian. I know at my church, we didn’t have a pastor for two years. Our pastor had had an affair and was removed from the pulpit. It took awhile for us to get a new pastor.

Regarding the men mentioned in the article, I did interact with 2 of them at conferences. I didn’t notice any lewd behavior. I’ve been going to conferences for several years and never noticed a thing. Part of it could be that I’m so focused – at the time, I was pursuing contracts from publishing houses! I may have been so focused that I just didn’t notice. Or, perhaps, I just wasn’t around when sexual innuendos and such were said.

The article reminded me of David and Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 11:26-27 

26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.

David lost the male child that Bathsheba had birthed. So, so, sad.

The men in the article have repented and that’s what’s important. None of us are perfect and we all have sinned. We need to repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness whenever we do something displeasing to God.

Matthew 4:17 
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Saturday Matinee – Apple Mortgage Cake

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Apple Mortgage Cake

Have you ever been in danger of losing your home because you couldn’t pay the rent/mortgage?

Angela Morgan is in danger of losing her home. She can’t afford to pay her mortgage and she’s unsure of what she can do. In spite of her financial troubles, as well as the difficulties involved with being a struggling single mom to 3 teen-aged boys, she’s still willing to help people. She volunteers at a local outreach center by helping young women to learn job interviewing skills.

Angela’s apple cake is a big hit at her son’s school. The cake is a family recipe and she remembers her mom showing her how to bake her special cake. She decides to sell her cake at $40 each to raise the funds to pay her mortgage. There’s also a side of romance when she runs into Melvin, a guy she used to date over ten years ago.

Angela was full of pride. At times, it was difficult for her to accept help from others. She persevered and she was not one to give up easily. She’s used to doing things alone since her ex-husband doesn’t help her very much. I recall during one scene, when Melvin tells of his feelings for her, she turns him away. Her son reprimands her for not giving Melvin a chance.

Overall, the acting in this movie was good. The movie itself was good, too. I just wish the scenery was more engaging. I suppose I’m used to seeing pretty scenery in women’s/romance movies. I thought the scenery was too dark and dim, especially the scenes in the house. The snow was dirty, too, not pretty and engaging. But, those aspects have nothing to do with the quality of the film or the message and acting. That’s just my personal taste in movie sets, is all.

So, Have you ever been in danger of losing your home because you couldn’t pay the rent/mortgage? If so, were you able to save your house? What did you do to come up with the funds?

Saturday Matinee – Return To Me – A Romance Movie

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Return To Me

Have you ever lost a spouse? Did you feel as if your spouse were somehow with you after they’d died?

Bob is a happily married man. He’s married to a woman who is passionate about animals. What night, everything in his life takes a turn for the worse.

Grace is a woman in need of a heart. It doesn’t appear as if she’s going to live for very long. When she receives an unexpected gift, a live-saving gift, her life gets better.

Bob is finding it hard to adjust to life after his wife is gone. He’s hesitant about dating and when he meets Grace, he finds himself drawn to her in an unusual way.

I really enjoyed the romance in this movie. I also enjoyed the characters. Grace is an orphan and she’ has a passel of overbearing male relatives who care about her. She loves receiving the gift of life – she can now enjoy things she used to do, like painting and working in her family’s Italian restaurant.

Bob’s life had gotten depressing and sad. He eats takeout each night and he doesn’t clean up his messy home. He misses his wife and meeting Grace is like a breath of fresh air.

If you like nice, sweet romance movies then give this one a try. There are also subtle hints of the supernatural in this film, which made the movie even more appealing.

So, have you ever lost a spouse? If so, did you feel as if your spouse were with you after they’d died, in a weird supernatural way?

Saturday Matinee – The Wedding Plan

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The Wedding Plan – A Movie Review

Have you ever heard of a bride who plans a wedding WITHOUT a groom?

Well, that’s the premise for this wonderful foreign film. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched a foreign film and I was so glad I chose to watch this one on Amazon Prime!

When Michal’s fiancé breaks off their engagement right before the wedding, she’s determined to move forward with her wedding plans. A Jew, she has deep faith that the Lord will provide a groom for her. She’s deeply religious, sometimes funny and she has an unusual occupation. She owns a mobile petting zoo. It’s kind of cool to see a woman petting snakes and furry rabbits, owning her own business. Michal was so determined to find a husband for her wedding.

I highly doubt I’d have had the guts to go through with a wedding, thinking God would provide a husband for me, if my fiancé were to cancel our engagement. That takes a lot of faith and courage. This story was a labyrinth of Michal meeting men as she seeks for a groom.

Overall, a highly unique, highly recommended movie.

So, have you ever heard of a bride who plans a wedding WITHOUT a groom?

Last Chance To Get A Copy Of These Box Sets

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On Monday (August 6th), I’ll be removing these three box sets from Amazon. I published these via my company, Divine Desserts Publishing, LLC. This is a bittersweet moment for me. I’ve had fun publishing these box sets with my author friends and as a result I’ve gained lots of exposure for my other works. Although it’s been fun, it’s time to take down the sets. They’ve run their course and I’ll be publishing other sets later this year! YEAH!!!

I highly encourage you to purchase copies of these sets before they are gone forever. You can’t beat the price – 99c per box set! That’s seventeen stories for less than $3! You can’t beat that! These Christmas and summer sweet stories will fill your heart with gladness!

Frosting and Flurries

Picnics and Promises

Snowflakes and Snuggles

Enjoy!!!