Sunday, February 28, 2010

UP ON CFBA IS Somewhere To Belong

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Somewhere to Belong


Bethany House (March 1, 2010)


by


Judith Miller






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Most readers want to know how authors 'got started' writing. My first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me.



With a graciousness that continues to amaze me, Tracie agreed to read my story, directed me to a publisher, and gave me information on a Christian writers conference. Since that first encounter many years ago, I have been blessed with the publication of numerous books, novellas and a juvenile fiction book. Joyously, Tracie and I had the opportunity to develop a blessed friendship. In fact, we have co-authored several series together, including The Bells of Lowell, the Lights of Lowell and The Broadmoor Legacy. In addition, I have continued to write several solo series.



Note: Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her novels, two of which have placed in the CBA top ten lists. In addition to her writing, Judy is a certified legal assistant. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.



ABOUT THE BOOK



Johanna Ilg has lived her entire life in Main Amana, one of the seven villages settled by devout Christians who believe in cooperative living, a simple lifestyle, and faithful service to God. Although she’s always longed to see the outside world, Johanna believes her future is rooted in Amana. But when she learns a troubling secret, the world she thought she knew is shattered. Is this truly where she belongs?



Berta Schumacher has lived a privileged life in Chicago, so when her parents decide they want a simpler life in Amana, Iowa, she resists. Under the strictures of the Amana villages, her rebellion reaches new heights. Will her heart ever be content among the plain people of Amana?





If you would like to read the first chapter of Somewhere to Belong , go HERE

Saturday, February 27, 2010

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Never Blame the Umpire

Zonderkidz (March 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Bridgette Brooks and Pam Mettler of Zondervan Publishing for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Gene Fehler, an award-winning and widely published poet, is the author of ten published books and over eighteen hundred published poems, stories, and articles. He and his wife, Polly, live in Seneca, South Carolina, where he writes, teaches, and participates in sports.


Visit the author's website.


Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Zonderkidz (March 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310719410
ISBN-13: 978-0310719410
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER: Just Press the Button:


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Up on CFBA is THE BIG 5'OH

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


The Big 5-Oh!
Abingdon Press (February 2010)


by


Sandra D. Bricker






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





For more than a decade, Author Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While writing in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant

and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.



One of Sandie's passions revolves around the rights of animals. She's been involved in fundraising for Lost Angels Animal Rescue for several years now; in fact, a portion of the proceeds of Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida will go to help the non-profit group with their expenses. And Lost Angels paid her back in a big way: They brought a free-spirited Collie named Sophie into her life after the loss of her 15-year companion Caleb.



It was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer.



In Sandie's words: "I guess most people would see my career as a publicist as a sort of dream job. But giving it up turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me!" she declares. "Not only was I given the gift of getting to know my mother as an adult woman before she passed away, but I was also afforded the blessing of being able to focus completely on my dream of a writing career. I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost, so it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch their new Love Finds You line."





ABOUT THE BOOK



Olivia Wallace has a birthday curse . . . or so she thinks. It was a broken heart on her 16th, a car accident on her 21st, pneumonia on her 30th, and a fall down a flight of stairs on her 35th. There were Ohio blizzards on her 38th, 39th, and 40th; and six days before her 45th, she lost the love of her life to a heart attack. Numbing grief stole that birthday and a couple more to follow and, on the morning of her 48th birthday, she received the call she’d dreaded ever since losing her mom so many years ago…she was diagnosed with stage-3 ovarian cancer. The doctors didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Liv survived and maintained her faith. Months of surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.



But now, as her 50th birthday creeps up the icy Ohio path toward her, her hair has grown back, her energy level is up, and she is officially cancer free. It makes her nervous. After everything she’s gone through, Liv hates the idea of driving on icy roads and returning to work as an O.R. nurse in a local Cincinnati hospital.



Her best friend Hallie knows just the thing to break Liv out of the winter doldrums, while providing a safe haven of warmth, sunshine, and a time to regroup: a holiday in the Florida sunshine!



If you'd like to read the first chapter of The Big 5-Oh!, go HERE



Watch the trailer:





My Review: I have not read this one . . . however 2 of the favorite women in my life have and I have it on good authority that it is awesome! Let's just say it had my Mom LOL which is a GOOD, GOOD, GOOD thing! I haven't heard her laugh so much in a long time. I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it. Go get yourself a copy and enjoy!

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven - Review

Book Description: They were young, brilliant, and bold. They set out to conquer the world. But the world had other plans for them. Bestselling author Susan Jane Gilman's new memoir is a hilarious and harrowing journey, a modern heart of darkness filled with Communist operatives, backpackers, and pancakes. In 1986, fresh out of college, Gilman and her friend Claire yearned to do something daring and original that did not involve getting a job. Inspired by a place mat at the International House of Pancakes, they decided to embark on an ambitious trip around the globe, starting in the People's Republic of China.

My Review: I am not a fan of "memoir" type books. Yet the cover interested me so I had to read this one. It started of slow and I thought "oh no!" Yet I kept reading and I'm so glad I did! This was such a fun, adventure book. I mean you have two college grad women who go to China on a shoestring budget, what could be more fun and adventurous???? A book that I thought I would have to "drudge" through I found myself staying up late to finish. I highly recommend this one. I do have to add that "cover" art was a seller! I don't know if I would've picked this one if the cover hadn't been so intriquing! A definite must read!!!!!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Bachelor - Wings of Love WOMEN TELL ALL!!!!





Egads!!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night had to be the best and I mean the best Women Tell All of all the women tell alls! First off Rozlyn's scandal was the biggest of all. The rumor was that she was suppose to get the date Ella had, and tell Jake about her son and when she didn't do that or get that date then the scandal was aired. We found out that the affair with the staffer was a real deal. How incredibly disgusting can you get! Apparently pretty disgusting! I couldn't believe all the stuff the girls were saying about what Rozlyn and this staffer were doing.




Then we had I'm not psycho Michelle! Oh boy! I thought if I had to hear her whine about why she was or wasn't this or that I may scream all over again! She was so incredibly co-dependant.





When Jake was asked about Ali it was quite clear that he was in love with her. In fact he said you will always have a friend . . . Ali said the same thing back. It is so clear that they are meant for each other.



Jake did say that after watching the show he wished he would've given Christina more time. He really liked her laugh, smile and her ability to just have fun.


Sadly we're still left with I'm not over my EX - Tenley and Good Grief disgusting Vienna! It is still my prediction that he proposes to no one - Ali comes back and they end up together, or he pulls a Jason and goes after her. I just don't see him with either of them. If you want some fun . . . here are some photos from Ali's facebook photo page. Gotta love the Vienna Sausage ones. ROFLOL

http://www.facebook.com/AliFedotowsky#!/AliFedotowsky?v=photos&so=15


Monday, February 22, 2010

COMMENTS . . . .

I really hate to have to say something but this is starting to get annoying. I welcome blog comments in fact I love them. However, random comments with no meaning or purpose behind them will be removed FOREVER! If they continue I will go back to approving comments - which is something I do not want to do. I like my blog the way that it is and I really don't want to change it.

I hope that you can appreciate where I'm coming from.

Thank you.

Life Lessons of a Horse Whisper - Review








ABOUT THE BOOK!
Distributed by Kregel Publications: A champion trainer and true horse whisperer, Dr. Lew Sterrett has used patience and a firm but gentle hand to earn the trust of more than 3,500 horses. In this book, Lew tells the stories of his work with these horses and the lessons each one has taught him. Sometimes heartbreaking and often uplifting, Lew has condensed his lifetime of learning into messages for the Christian life. Today, Lew shares these messages with more than 50,000 people each year through horse training presentations at Miracle Mountain Ranch and nationally through his Sermon on the Mount Ministry.



The author's engaging style and adroit mixture of well-tested anecdotes and thoughtful instruction make this a winning read-and not just for horse lovers. Read an excerpt!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A champion trainer and true horse whisperer, Dr. Lew Sterrett has used patience and a firm but gentle hand to earn the trust of more than 3,500 horses. Lew Sterrett (Ph. D) had little idea that his boyhood interest in horses would open doors internationally for speaking and training. During his years in 4-H, he savored many opportunities to train and show horses and earn national recognition. As a student leader at Penn State University he benefited from many mentoring relationships from which he received valuable training, experience and honors. This foundation provided a basis for an extensive horse career with a unique emphasis on training youth and community leaders.

Lew has served as the Executive Director of Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions, Inc. (MMRM) since 1977. MMRM, located in northwestern Pennsylvania, is home for a summer youth camp, and a leadership training center for youth, adult, and family groups. He has also promoted safety in public riding programs, serving as President of the Certified Horse Association for 7 years. A licensed pastor, certified Youth, Marriage and Family Counselor, he earned his PhD from North Tennessee Seminary in 2007. For more about Lew and Miracle Mountain Ranch visit his website.

Help us spread the word and win a $50 Amazon.com gift card and signed copies of Lew's book!

TWEET THIS: (must use hashtag #lewsterrett to be entered - no limit on entries! Tweet away!)



Life Lessons from a Horse Whisperer: not just for horse lovers! http://ow.ly/169ym RT to win $50 to @amazon #LewSterrett


My Review: A huge fan of the movie The Horse Whisper with Robert Redford . . . well that movie doesn't even come close. This book is just beautiful from the first word. In the book he talks about trust, and trust is a big thing. Take it from me. Mine's been ripped to shreds! On pg 19 this is absolutely beautiful. "I'd like to take credit for saving Spotlight's life; to say that the reason he made it free of the barbed wire without a scratch was because I'm a miracle - working, horse - whispering genuis. But that wouldn't be the truth. The real hero in this story is Spotlight who overcame his fear, and put his faith and trust in me. His courage and faith in that moment of crisis made all the difference. Trust remains the building block of every human relationship: between parents and children; between workers and their bosses; between husband and a wife; between people and God. Most of us know this. But it's one thing to know that trust is important and it's another to take active steps, day by day to build that trust." This is just one passage from this book, and there are more like it! This book is encouraging and uplifting! I can't recommend it enough! I give this book a lighthouse and shine a light on it for pointing a path to God!

All Things Hidden - Review




The past is brought to light...

Charlotte is cleaning out the basement of Bedford Community Church when she comes across a tattered and yellowed newspaper article. The clipping, published more than a century ago, implicates her great-great-grandfather in the loss of funds intended to help finish building the church. Charlotte has heard stories about the incident through the years, but now it seems the past has come back to haunt her. Is it just her imagination or are people treating her differently now that they think she's descended from a crook? Will Charlotte be able to clear her family's name once and for all?

Meanwhile, Sam is spending time with a new girl in town-and is keeping secrets from his grandparents about where they go. Christopher is trying to get an article published in the local paper, and Emily reluctantly partners with a foreign exchange student on a class project and eventually comes to see that they're not that different after all. As old secrets are brought to light, the whole family is reminded that the truth is often more complicated than it seems.

Come home to Heather Creek. Get to know Charlotte Stevenson, who is raising her grandchildren on the family farm after a tragic accident changes all of their lives forever. With the help of her husband Bob and a close-knit circle of friends, she will do whatever it takes to keep this fragile family together. See how God, who makes the sun rise and the crops grow, watches over our lives too.

ABOUT HOME TO HEATHER CREEK:

Charlotte Stevenson's world is turned upside down when her daughter, Denise, dies in a tragic car accident. She ran away at eighteen and Charlotte has never forgiven herself. Now, Denise's children, abandoned by their father, are coming from California to live on Heather Creek Farm in Bedford, Nebraska.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tricia Goyer is the author of several books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Montana. To find out more visit her website: www.triciagoyer.com

BUY THE BOOK!

http://www.guideposts.com/heathercreek/

CONTEST

Follow one of the options below to be entered into a contest to win the ENTIRE set of the Home to Heather Creek books (books 1-18)!



Tweet the following:

Read about @triciagoyer's #AllThingsHidden. http://ow.ly/14nNd RT and try to win the ENTIRE set of the Home to Heather Creek books (books 1-18)!

My Review: This was the first book I've read of Tricia's and it won't be the last. While this book is part of a series and I hadn't read the other books I was able to follow the story, and felt apart of the community at Heather Creek. It was a quick, easy, and delightful read. After reading this one I now want to read the rest in the series. I highly recommend this book!

Up on CFBA is COWGIRL AT HEART

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Cowgirl at Heart


Barbour Books (February 1, 2010)


by


Christine Lynxwiler






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





Best-selling author Christine Lynxwiler lives with her husband and two precious daughters in the foothills of the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Christine has been writing toward publication since 1997. She sold her first story in 2001 to Barbour Publishing. Since then she's written and sold fourteen Christian romance novels and novellas including the four novels that were included in the best-selling book Arkansas, which has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide. Her novel, Forever Christmas, ranked number 12 on the Christian Bookseller's Association Bestseller List in January, 2009.



A four-time winner of the prestigious American Christian Romance Writers/American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Award, Christine recently signed a new six-book contract with Barbour Publishing bringing her total of contracted books to twenty. Besides, Along Came a Cowboy, her latest novels include Promise Me Always and Forever Christmas. She also writes mysteries with two of her sisters, Sandy Gaskin and Jan Reynolds. Their book, Alibis in Arkansas, is currently available nationwide, as well as in many bookstores. The first book in Christine's new McCord Sisters series, The Reluctant Cowgirl released in April, 2009 and was a TOP PICK in Romantic Times Magazine.



When Christine isn't at her computer, you'll often find her, with her husband, co-coaching their daughters' softball team, kayaking down beautiful Spring River with her family, or getting together with friends from church.





ABOUT THE BOOK



Elyse McCord always plays it safe─a fact she blames on being the biological daughter of a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Even in the security of her adoptive family the McCords, the timid dog whisperer keeps her guard up with strangers. But when she discovers a dog being horribly mistreated, shy Elyse transforms into a mighty warrior and charges into a perilous situation, not only risking her life but also her heart



Reporter Andrew Stone has been fearless since the day his wife was shot and killed three years ago. He has one mission─use hid Texas Ranger upbringing to find her murderer and clear his own name of any involvement. When he sees a beautiful brunette in the hands of a pistol-welding maniac, he’s forced to abandon his covert surveillance and go to the rescue. The danger surrounding Andrew doesn’t scare him at all, but the awakening of his dormant heart terrifies him.



When painful pasts collide, the explosion is deafening. Can Andrew and Elyse pick up the pieces and go forward together? Or will they forever live with haunting memories, unable to forgive, unable to love?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Cowgirl at Heart , go HERE.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Abigail - Review







Book Description: What price must she pay for true love?

Her days marked by turmoil and faded dreams, Abigail has resigned herself to a life with a man she does not love. But when circumstances offer her a second chance at happiness with the handsome David, she takes a leap of faith to join his wandering tribe. Still, her struggles are far from over. How can she share his love with the other women he insists on marrying?

My Review: Once again Jill Eileen Smith does a beautiful job of transporting you to right back to 1st and 2nd Samuel. I fell in love with Michal's story and waited on pins and needles for Abigail's to be released and I wasn't disappointed. Abigail is a young 15 yr old girl who is sold to handsome but cruel Nabal to lessen his debt to Nabal's father. Abigail's only solace is her beautiful garden where she prays to Jehovah to be loved. Her prayer will be answered, but at what price? David is by far one of my favorite hero's from the Bible and I can't wait til 2011 for Bathsheba! I highly recommend this series! The books of Samuel will come alive to you.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Kitchen Chat




Here is an excerpt from Marc's journal that is posted online:

"There is nothing that can prepare one for a murder trial. My family sits as the last few hours in Polly's life are dissected, analyzed, de-constructed, reconstructed, cross-referenced and compartmentalized. The constant assault on our sensibilities by horrible revelations that defy the principles of civilization seem overwhelming much of the time. It is impossible to withstand or rise above the continual dehumanizing facts that are revealed in a constant, monotonous stream of revelation. There is no room for anything but the processing of nightmarish information. The killer laughs throughout the video tape and I want to shout, yet I must sit unflinching and stone-faced for fear of causing a mistrial. Every day my family is drawn into the world of murder, mayhem, rape and deprivation and there is no way out."

Learn about effective ways to keep your children safe from harm and find out what you can do to help stop crimes against kids. Please tune in and call in with your questions for Marc this Friday 11-12 CST on Kitchen Chat.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Listen

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (January 11, 2010)

***Special thanks to Vicky Lynch of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Rene Gutteridge is the critically acclaimed author of more than fifteen novels, including the Storm series, the Boo series, the Occupational Hazards series, and the novelization of the motion picture The Ultimate Gift. She lives with her husband, Sean, a musician, and their children in Oklahoma City.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (January 11, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414324332
ISBN-13: 978-1414324333

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Present Day

Damien Underwood tapped his pencil against his desk and spun twice in his chair. But once he was facing his computer again, the digital clock still hadn’t changed.

In front of him on a clean white piece of paper was a box, and inside that box was a bunch of other tiny boxes. Some of those boxes he’d neatly scribbled in. And above the large box he wrote, Time to go.

This particular day was stretching beyond his normal capacity of tolerance, and when that happened, he found himself constructing word puzzles. He’d sold three to the New York Times, two published on Monday and one on Wednesday. They were all framed and hanging in his cubicle. He’d sent in over thirty to be considered.

He’d easily convinced his boss years ago to let him start publishing crosswords in the paper, and since then he’d been the crossword editor, occasionally publishing some of his own, a few from local residents, and some in syndication.

The puzzle clues were coming harder today. He wanted to use a lot of plays on words, and he also enjoyed putting in a few specific clues that were just for Marlo residents. Those were almost always published on Fridays.

A nine-letter word for “predictable and smooth.”

Yes, good clue. He smiled and wrote the answer going down. Clockwork.

He glanced over to the bulletin board, which happened to be on the only piece of north wall he could see from his desk at the Marlo Sentinel. Tacked in the center, still hanging there after three years, was an article from Lifestyles Magazine. Marlo, of all the places in the United States, was voted Best Place to Raise a Child. It was still the town’s shining moment of glory. Every restaurant and business had this article framed and hanging somewhere on their walls.

The community boasted its own police force, five separate and unique playgrounds for the kids, including a spray ground put in last summer, where kids could dash through all kinds of water sprays without the fear of anyone drowning.

Potholes were nonexistent. The trash was picked up by shiny, blue, state-of-the-art trash trucks, by men wearing pressed light blue shirts and matching pants, dressed slightly better than the mail carriers.

Two dozen neighborhood watch programs were responsible for nineteen arrests in the last decade, mostly petty thieves and a couple of vandals. There hadn’t been a violent crime in Marlo since 1971, and even then the only one that got shot was a dog. A bank robbery twenty years ago ended with the robber asking to talk to a priest, where he confessed a gambling addiction and a fondness for teller number three.

Damien’s mind lit up, which it often did when words were involved. He penciled it in. An eight-letter word for “a linear stretch of dates.” Timeline. Perfect for 45 across.

So this was Marlo, where society and family joined in marriage. It was safe enough for kids to play in the front yards. It was clean enough that asthmatics were paying top dollar for the real estate. It was good enough, period.

Damien was a second-generation Marlo resident. His mother and father moved here long before it was the Best Place to Raise a Child. Then it had just been cheap land and a good drive from the city. His father had been the manager of a plant now gone because it caused too much pollution. His mother, a stay-at-home mom, had taken great pride in raising a son who shared her maiden name, Damien, and her fondness for reading the dictionary.

Both his parents died the same year from different causes, the same year Damien had met Kay, his wife-to-be. They’d wed nine months after they met and waited the customary five years to have children. Kay managed a real estate company. She loved her job as much as she had the first day she started. And it was a good way to keep up with the Joneses.

Until recently, when the housing market started slumping like his ever-irritated teenage daughter.

The beast’s red eyes declared it was finally time to leave. Damien grabbed his briefcase and walked the long hallway to the door, just to make sure his boss and sometimes friend, Edgar, remembered he was leaving a little early. He gave Edgar a wave, and today, because he was in a good mood, Edgar waved back.

Damien drove through the Elephant’s Foot and picked up two lemonades, one for himself and one for Jenna, his sixteen-year-old daughter who had all at once turned from beautiful princess or ballerina or whatever it was she wanted to be to some weird Jekyll and Hyde science experiment. With blue eye shadow. She never hugged him. She never giggled. Oh, how he missed the giggling. She slouched and grunted like a gorilla, her knuckles nearly dragging the ground if anyone said anything to her. A mild suggestion of any kind, from “grab a jacket” to “don’t do drugs” evoked eyes rolling into the back of her head as if she were having a grand mal seizure.

So the lemonade was the best gesture of kindness he could make. Besides offering to pick her up because her car was in the shop.

He pulled to the curb outside the school, fully aware he was the only car among the full-bodied SUVs idling alongside one another. It was a complete embarrassment to Jenna, who begged to have Kay pick her up in the Navigator. Some lessons were learned the hard way. But his car was perfectly fine, perfectly reliable, and it wasn’t going to cause the ozone to collapse.

She got in, noticed the lemonade, asked if it was sugar-free, then sipped it and stared out the window for the rest of the ride home. It wasn’t sugar-free, but the girl needed a little meat on her bones.

“Your car’s ready.”

Finally, a small smile.

***

“Have a seat.”

Frank Merret shoved his holster and belt downward to make room for the roll of belly fat that had permanently attached itself to his midsection. He slowly sat down in the old vinyl chair across from Captain Lou Grayson’s cluttered desk.

“You got a rookie coming in this morning.”

“I thought we had an agreement about rookies.”

“You ticketed Principal MaLue. We had an agreement about that too.”

Frank sighed. “He was speeding in a school zone.”

“He’s the principal. If he wants to hit Mach speed in the school zone, so be it. The rookie’s file is in your box.” Grayson’s irritated expression said the rest.

Frank left the captain’s office and killed time in the break room until lineup, where the rookie stood next to him, fresh-faced and wide-eyed. He was short, kind of stocky, with white blond hair and baby pink cheeks like a von Trapp kid. There was not a hard-bitten bone in this kid’s body.

Frank cut his gaze sideways. “This is Marlo. The most you can hope for is someone driving under the influence of pot.”

Lineup was dismissed, and the kid followed him out. “That’s not true. I heard about that bank robbery.”

“That was twenty years ago.”

“Doesn’t matter,” the rookie said. “I’m on patrol. That’s cool. I’m Gavin Jenkins, by the way.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Did you read my stats from the academy?”

“Not even one word.”

Gavin stopped midstride, falling behind Frank as he made his way outside to the patrol car. Gavin hurried to catch up. “Where are we going? Aren’t we a little early?”

Frank continued to his car. Gavin hopped into the passenger side. Frank turned west onto Bledsoe.

“Listen, Officer Merret, I just want you to know that I’m glad they paired me with you. I’ve heard great things about you, and I think it’s—”

“I don’t normally talk in the morning.”

“Okay.”

So they drove in silence mostly, checking on a few of the elderly citizens and their resident homeless man, Douglas, until lunchtime, when they stopped at Pizza Hut. The kid couldn’t help but talk, so Frank let him and learned the entire history of how he came to be a Marlo police officer.

Gavin was two bites into his second piece and hadn’t touched his salad when Frank rose. “Stay here.”

Gavin stared at him, his cheek full of cheese and pepperoni. “What? Why?”

“I’ve got something I need to do.”

Gavin stood, trying to gather his things. “Wait. I’ll come.”

Frank held out a firm hand. “Just stay here, okay? I’ll come back to get you in about forty minutes.”

Gavin slowly sat down.

Frank walked out. He knew it already. This rookie was going to be a thorn in his side.

Excerpted from Listen by Rene Gutteridge. Copyright ©2010 by Rene Gutteridge. Used with permission from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.



My Review: This was my first book by Rene Gutteridge. This was a really hard book to get into. It took a good 50 pages which is my cut off, yet once I did I couldn't put it down! The book definitely showed how gossip and untruths can ruin lives. I really applaud Ms Gutteridge for taking on such a painful subject as this.

HEAR NO EVIL - Such a waste!


Summary:

A collection of wise, compelling, and often uproariously funny essays built around the experience of music as a transformational element in a moment of truth, Hear No Evil mines Matthew Paul Turner’s humorous memories of his evangelical youth and invites readers to groove along on his journey.


From attending forbidden contemporary Christian concerts to moving to “ Music City ” Nashville , Hear No Evil chronicles Turner’s “life soundtrack” which morphs seamlessly into the stories of people, places, and experiences that have taught the music-editor-turned-author some new things about God, forced him out of his comfort zone, and introduced him to a fresh view of grace along the way.


If you’ve ever had the opening bars of a song transport you back in time or remind you of a pivotal spiritual moment, Matthew Paul Turner’s honest—and frequently hilarious—musings will strike a chord. Straight forward and amusing, Hear No Evil is an exploration of a life of faith lived to a personal soundtrack.

MY OPINION: I am very disappointed in Waterbrook press for publishing this book and I don't recommend it! Let me say I did not read the entire book. At Mr. Turner's insistance I read the last chapter, which didn't make up for his first 5 pages, and I chose to read the chapter, Chasing Amy. Within the first 5 pages Mr. Turner makes a comparison to being gay and being a Christian saying . . and I quote "I'm pretty sure it's not a Holy Spirit thing. It could be, I guess, but I think it's more like gaydar." He also has a character named Adam who is checking his eyeliner in his cell phone. It is quite clear who he is making a reference to. Not only is that an issue his entire chapter on Chasing Amy - refering to Amy Grant is a joke! Amy Grant was, and I use the word WAS a popular Christian contemporary artist. She would not have been anyONE if it would not have been for her now ex husband Gary Chapman and Michael W. Smith. They helped her become who she was. She marries Gary and then she has an affair with Vince Gill after they recorded a Christmas song together in the early 90's, at Vince's ranch and she doesn't think she should apologize to her fans for what she did. The bothersome part for me is that Mr. Turner doesn't seem to understand that whether or not Vince and Amy had an affair there was no Biblical reason for her to divorce Gary and it seems as though he has Amy Grant on a pedestal believing that she can do no wrong. God warns us about this in His word and it seems to me that Mr. Turner is saying one thing in his book yet ignoring God's scripture.

In all good conscience I cannot recommend this book or offer it up for a giveaway.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Up On CFBA is The Pastor's Wife

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


The Pastor's Wife
Abingdon Press (February 2010)
by


Jennifer AlLee






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer AlLee was born in Hollywood, California and for the first 10 years of her life lived over a mortuary one block from Hollywood and Vine. An avid reader and writer, she completed her first novel in high school. That manuscript is now safely tucked away, never again to see the light of day. Her first inspirational romance, The Love of His Brother, was released in November 2007 by Five Star Publisher.



Besides being a writer, she is a wife and mom. Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, her husband and teenage son have learned how to enjoy the fabulous buffets there without severely impacting their waistlines. God is good!





ABOUT THE BOOK



Maura Sullivan never intended to set foot in Granger, Ohio, again. But when circumstances force her to return, she must face all the disappointments she tried so hard to leave behind: a husband who ignored her, a congregation she couldn't please, and a God who took away everything she ever loved.



Nick Shepherd thought he had put the past behind him, until the day his estranged wife walked back into town. Intending only to help Maura through her crisis of faith, Nick finds his feelings for her never died. Now, he must admit the mistakes he made, how he hurt his wife, and find a way to give and receive forgiveness.



As God works in both of their lives, Nick and Maura start to believe they can repair their broken relationship and reunite as man and wife. But Maura has one more secret to tell Nick before they can move forward. It's what ultimately drove her to leave him three years earlier, and the one thing that can destroy the fragile trust they've built.



If you would like to read the first Chapter of The Pastor's Wife , go HERE

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Bachelor On The Wings Of Love Wk 7

still wounded
in love with Ali and wont admit it!
immature

The perfect girl for Jake!!!!!


I really am at a loss for tonight. The 3 remaining women are in the Cayman Islands with Jake. If you've watched the bachelor before when it gets to this point you know that there will be the fantasy" suite card from Chris etc etc . . . what I find funny is that none of the girls should be surprised yet they all act surprised, esp. since they all have watched the show before - so they say. :-)

Gia and Jake have the first date just having fun on the beach, swimming in the water. They also went into the city enjoying the culture and Jake bought Gia a very pretty necklace. I think the most romantic part was them swinging in the hammock while the waves came in underneath them. At dinner the fantasy suite card came out and they did choose to spend the night together.
Tenley and Jake - I didn't really pay much attention to their date. . . I am so over hearing about her ex husband! What I did notice was at dinner when the fantasy suite card was presented she told him that she has never spent a night alone with any other man besides her ex husband; he was honored by that. He knew that she trusted him and felt safe with him.

Just before Jake is to go out with Vienna his phone rings . . . from the previews we all know it is Ali . . . she is a mess and she realizes that she made the worst mistake ever by leaving. When he answers you can just see in his face that he missed her. It is taking everything he can by not saying to her to get on a plane and get here! He chooses not to say that to her, and he also tells her that while he will always care about her he has fallen more in love with the 3 women he has left. By just looking at him you can see it is a lie. He ends the phone call, looks out the window and you could just see that what he said was not how he felt.

Vienna and Jake - This was just utterly painful to watch. They go to an old pirate ship and she puts a black eye patch over his eye. She's being completely "childish"; she tells him he has to talk with it on. They practically make out all over the ship, and what made me sick was hearing On The Wings Of Love being played. It was like all the rumors about him choosing Vienna are true and the show isn't even over yet. They go to dinner, and at dinner Jake asks her about what kind of ring she likes, and then it goes into even the type of metal. I was like SERIOUSLY!!!!! They of course choose to stay in the fantasy suite, and of course Vienna was nothing short of a hoochie! Coming out in lingerie! This wasn't honeymoon suite this was a fantasy suite . . . yet for Vienna she has something to WIN - to make sure Gia, and Tenley do not get Jake. It's not like she cares about Jake or really wants to be married. She just wants to make sure no one else gets him. She got rid of Ali, and Gia tonight.

Here is what I predict will happen if the rumor is true that he chooses Vienna in the end. They will not WORK. I do not care how you SLICE, DICE, OR CUT it . . . they will not make it. He will wise up and dump the immature lil girl and go and get Ali. He will see that Tenley is not ready for a relationship because she is not over her ex, and has not healed . . . and he will see that Vienna was after one thing and one thing only and that is . . . WINNING - it was never in her plan to be Jake's wife. I say this because Jake is a hottie, and she is someone who when he's on a flight that has him gone for 2-3 days - she will be wondering . . . is he with a flight attendant . . . or a passenger . . . she has already shown that she has insecurity issues.
I am really disappointed with this season. I really thought that with Jake after what happened with Jillian he would have made smarter choices. He saw what a player Wes was and to not believe that a female could be the same way is just stupid on his part.

WIN Single Husbands by Honey B

Let me preface this giveaway by saying that this is out of the norm of a giveaway that I would offer . . . with that said . . . as an ex wife whose ex husband cheated on her this book piqued my attention and I wanted to read and review it plus knowing that I am not the only woman who has been affected by this I thought others would also want to read it.



Herschel Henderson says, "I do," to gain access to his wife's money. Lexington Lewis vows for his better and her worse, and Brian Flaw claims until death do we part, but does he really mean it? The one thing these men share is none of them will give up the sexual freedom they enjoyed as single men to make their marriages work. Herschel has a mistress that he sexes more than his wife and thinks nothing of it. Lexington is making love to as many women as he can, and Brian is sexing women of every ethnicity because he's become bored with his wife.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Hachette Publishing I have this great book to give away. I have just 2 copies of it; so I know competition is going to be fierce. :-)
The rules are the same. Here they are again. And remember NO P.O. boxes and this is open to U.S. and Canada Residents. To enter you must leave your email address. If you do not your entry will be deleted. To receive extra entries you can do the following . . . 1. if you are already follower of this blog say so in your original comment; DO NOT LEAVE AN ADDITONAL COMMENT. 2. If you are a NEW follower leave an additional comment. 3. Tweet about this on twitter, and leave an additional comment with the link. 4. Blog about this giveaway and leave the link. This will start today, Mionday, February 15th and I will draw the winners Thursday, February 25th. My daughter's 17th birthday! All winners will have 48 hours to give me their mailing information if I do not receive it in that time frame I will draw other winners. GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

WIN TRY DARKNESS by James Scott Bell






Ty Buchanan is living on the peaceful grounds of St. Monica's, far away from the glamorous life he led as a rising trial lawyer for a big L.A. firm. Recovering from the death of his fiancée and a false accusation of murder, Buchanan has found his previous ambitions unrewarding.

Now he prefers offering legal services to the poor and the under-represented, from his "office" at local coffee bar The Freudian Sip. A mysterious woman with a six year old daughter comes to him for help. She's being illegally evicted from a downtown transient hotel, an interest represented by his old law firm and former best friend, Al Bradshaw. Buchanan won't back down. He's going to fight for the woman's rights.

But then she ends up dead, and the case moves from the courtroom to the streets. Determined to find the killer and protect the little girl, who has no last name and no other family, Buchanan finds he must depend on skills he never needed in the employ of a civil law firm.




Thanks to Hachette Publishing I have another AWESOME book to giveaway to 3 lucky winners. I just know you will want to read this book! The rules are the same. Here they are again. And remember NO P.O. boxes and this is open to U.S. and Canada Residents. To enter you must leave your email address. If you do not your entry will be deleted. To receive extra entries you can do the following . . . 1. if you are already follower of this blog say so in your original comment; DO NOT LEAVE AN ADDITONAL COMMENT. 2. If you are a NEW follower leave an additional comment. 3. Tweet about this on twitter, and leave an additional comment with the link. 4. Blog about this giveaway and leave the link. This will start today, Mionday, February 15th and I will draw the winners Thursday, February 25th. My daughter's 17th birthday! All winners will have 48 hours to give me their mailing information if I do not receive it in that time frame I will draw other winners. GOOD LUCK!

UP ON CFBA IS Love Finds You in Bridal Viel Oregon

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon


Summerside Press (January 1, 2010)
by


Miralee Ferrell






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.



In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press



And Finding Jeena will release in April 2010 from Kregel Publications.



Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.



ABOUT THE BOOK



Against a backdrop of thievery and murder in Bridal Veil Falls, Oregon, a historic logging community, a schoolteacher is torn between the memories of a distant love and the man who could be her future.



Sixteen-year-old Margaret Garvey had given her heart to Nathaniel Cooper the night he disappeared from town. Four years later, just as she's giving love a second chance with Andrew, a handsome logger, Nathaniel suddenly returns. He steams back into Bridal Veil on a riverboat to work at the nearby sawmill to town with a devastating secret.



While grappling with the betrayal of those she trusted most, Margaret risks her reputation and position by harboring two troubled runaways who might be involved in the murder of a local man.



When disaster strikes the town and threatens the welfare of its citizens, Margaret will be faced with the most important choice of her life.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Finds You in Bridal Veil, Oregon, go HERE

Saturday, February 13, 2010

PPL SOMETIMES MAKE ME SICK!!!!!

Yes, I am a blogger and a reviewer and I just love how some think they have it all flippin together! They read these books write these reviews almost like they are GOD ALMIGHTY themselves! Give me a freakin break! It cracks me the heck up! Just once I'd like to read a review that said Wow! I really saw myself in this book or I can see how I've grown from where I was to where I am now with God. Oh no! Instead they write these long flowing reviews like they were never and I mean NEVER walking in sin, away from God, it's like they are these perfect glorified Christians. PUHLEASE! Give me a barf bag now!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

My Review of The Choice by Suzanne Fisher

Book Description:


Lancaster County has always been her home--but where does her heart belong?

One moment Carrie Weaver was looking forward to running away with Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Solomon Riehl--plans that included leaving the Amish community where they grew up. The next moment she was staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now, Carrie is faced with a choice. But will this opportunity be all she hoped? Or will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?

A tender story of love, forgiveness, and looking below the surface, The Choice uncovers the sweet simplicity of the Amish world--and shows that it's never too late to find your way back to God.

My Review: Ms Fisher is a new author to me, yet Amish fiction is not. I must say I was quite taken by this book. Carrie is a character you can't help but fall in love with. While there is definitely some difficult issues being dealt with in the book, there is warmth and laughter. I think the Christian Fiction Amish writers have some NEW competition in Ms. Fisher! If you like Amish fiction I highly recommend this one!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS IS UP on CFBA

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Walking on Broken Glass


Abingdon Press (February 2010)


by


Christa Allan






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





Christa Allan, a true Southern woman who knows any cook worth her gumbo always starts with a roux and who never wears white after Labor Day, weaves stories of unscripted grace with threads of hope, humor, and heart.



The mother of five and grandmother of three, Christa teaches high school English. She and her husband, Ken live in Abita Springs, Louisiana where they play golf, dodge hurricanes, and anticipate retirement.







ABOUT THE BOOK



Leah Thornton's life, like her Southern Living home, has great curb appeal. But already sloshed from one-too-many drinks at a faculty party, Leah cruises the supermarket aisles in search of something tasty to enhance her Starbucks—Kahlua and a paralyzing encounter with a can of frozen apple juice shatters the facade, forcing her to admit that all is not as it appears.



When her best friend Molly gets in Leah's face about her refusal to deal with her life, Leah is forced to make a decision. Can this brand-conscious socialite walk away from the country club into 28 days of rehab? Leah is sitting in the office of the local rehab center facing an admissions counselor who fails to understand the most basic things, like the fact that apple juice is not a suitable cocktail mixer.



Rehab is no picnic, and being forced to experience and deal with the reality of her life isn’t Leah’s idea of fun. Can she leave what she has now to gain back what she needs? Joy, sadness, pain and a new srength converge, testing her marriage, her friendships and her faith.



But through the battle she finds a reservoir of courage she never knew she had, and the loving arms of a God she never quite believed existed.



If you would like to read the first chapter of Walking on Broken Glass, go HERE

My Review: I just started this one and am completely hooked! It has all the elements of one that is going to keep me up late at night. Please stay tuned for my complete and full review!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

THE BACHELOR ON THE WINGS OF LOVE WK 6

Last night was the home town dates and boy was it full emotion and drama.

We start out with Jake going to Gia's home in Jersey. Gia has a day planned where they will go on a boat to the city. While on the boat they have fun taking pictures together goofing around and even kissing. It was cute. Instead of Gia's mom preparing dinner they go to a restaurant, which I thought was very impersonal and cheesy. In previous bachelor / bachelorette home town dates the parents even bachelor / bachelorette has prepared dinner for whomever so I was not impressed. Then Gia's mom goes into this entire scpeal about Jake needing to take care of Gia, her needing to know where she is, blah, blah, blah! She even gets out taro cards and does a reading. I couldn't wait for the date to end!

That takes us to Tenley! GOOD GRIEF! Here we have SKIP TO MY LOU, I'm not over my EX can we BARF NOW! Last week I actually thought Tenley might be getting better. Last night prooved that she isn't ready to be with anyone. I mean her silly little dance was ridiculous and she kept saying that her EX didn't appreciate this part of her . . . made me want to go through the t.v. and say HELLO JAKE ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION HERE?????? Her parents didn't help either because they were of course going on about how they hadn't seen her so vibrant in months. Well of course parents are going to say that. I mean seriously!

Moving on to Ali . . . who met him in her home town of Massachusettes where she grew up. As with Ali and Jake while their dates have been fun there has been a something meaningful about them. The same was true on this date. Ali's gramma passed away and when she was home the last time she was attending her funeral. She took Jake to her gramma's home and made him apart of it. She told Jake that her gramma would be smiling down on them giving them her blessing. The dinner with her family was what I would say would be a "typical" family dinner. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary.

Next we go to Sanford, FL which is in my neck of the woods. I'm familiar with the area. Vienna is just so OVER THE TOP about every thing! They go out on the river in a boat and she's half dressed and she's not even attractive. They don't talk about anything really. They get back to her parents house and what is dinner . . . outside???? SERIOUSLY????? I couldn't believe it! Her father takes Jake to his garage and tells him that he expects his daughter to be treated like a princess by any man she marries. I'm like WHAT?!? No this is my baby, and she needs to be protected, cared for, if you hurt her I'll kill ya . . . none of that, or even asking what his belief system is, the holidays, kids, etc. Nope, treat her like a princess. It was clear to me that all Vienna and her daddy were looking for is a SUGAR DADDY! Vienna is not ready to be in a committed relationship she has no idea what it takes to do it. She just wants to Win! Which is what was said at dinner with her family. Why the girls hate her, is because she goes after what she wants and usually gets it without any concern for others feelings . . . she doesn't care about anything but the prize, and in this case it's not an item - this is a person who has feelings and I'm afraid he isn't prepared for Vienna.

We return from the home town dates and are back in San Fran. Ali shows up on Jake's doorstep in tears. Sadly she wanted him to tell her what to do, and he didn't. She was broken hearted about the fact that her job, which is an advertizing accountant for FACEBOOK, wanted her to return to work or she would loose her job. She needed to decide whether to stay and take a chance on whether or not he'd choose her at the end or go back to her job which is she knows is a guarantee. She walked out of Jake's hotel room and literally collapsed on the hallway floor in tears. You knew she didn't want to leave and she wanted him to tell her to stay. In a way he did, by saying that we really have a good thing going here and I want to see where it goes. One thing men do not understand about women is that when we ask you what to do . . . we really want you to tell us what to do . . . especially in a situation like this. Just before the rose ceremony Ali had Chris take her to Jake and she spent 20 minutes talking to Jake about it. She was a complete mess. She told Jake she loved him and that she didn't want to leave. Jake told her that she wasn't on the line tonight and that he wanted her to stay. She sadly tearfully said good-bye.

I just don't see any of the three that are left as a good match for him. He and Ali seemed to be such a perfect fit and he even said as much. I just don't know. I am very sad for him. He got very hurt with Jillian who herself was a complete idiot, I mean seriously . . . not that I would want him with her, I just couldn't believe she chose ED over Jake!

I am encouraged that Ali calls next week. What will that mean for them. Will there be a chance for them . . . will the girl who was on the line go home? All we can do is hope.

I do have a little bit of trivia however. Check out who has and who hasn't married out of all of the seasons of the Bachelor / Bachelorette. Pretty interesting! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bachelor_%28TV_series%29

Monday, February 8, 2010

MY FAVE SUPERBOWL COMMERCIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOTTA LOVE THE BABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




UP ON CFBA is HUNTER'S MOON

This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Hunter's Moon


Bethany House (February 1, 2010)


by


Don Hoesel






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







Don Hoesel was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, TN home. He works as a Communications Department supervisor for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal.



Don and hopes to one day sell enough books to just say that he's a writer. You can help with that by buying whatever his newest novel happens to be.



He lives in Spring Hill with his wife and two children.







ABOUT THE BOOK





Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them. Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades. Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past. With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money. There are wounds even time cannot heal.





If you would like to read the first chapter of Hunter's Moon, go HERE

Review of US by Daniel Tocchini - BONUS GIVEAWAY




Don’t just improve your marriage. Transform it!

Marriage Coach Daniel Tocchini shows how to

break barriers and remove ruts in marriage



Us, a new book by Daniel Tocchini, isn’t about improving marriages. It’s about transforming them. Drawing on personal experience and stories from couples he has coached, Tocchini offers practical guidance to move couples beyond communication tricks and gimmicks to help them truly understand "Us" for the first time—talking honestly, listening generously, tackling tricky issues, breaking out of ruts, and abandoning self-centered “consumer thinking.” The good news, according to Tocchini, is that personalities don’t need to change in order for marriage to work. What needs to change is how we view ourselves, our spouses, and our marriages.



Innovative, insightful and thoroughly biblical, Tocchini’s approach has helped thousands in his popular seminars. Whether a marriage is in deep trouble or just coasting along, it's time for Christian couples to read the User's Guide that God intended.



In this intensely practical, innovative guide, marriage coach Daniel Tocchini invites you to open your marriage to transformation by learning to:

· Expect less—and infinitely more—of your life partner and yourself

· Actually talk to each other instead of making assumptions (and accusations)

· Break free of those recurring, unresolved arguments

· Manage the impact of difficult (but necessary) conversations on your relationship

· Defuse conflict without sweeping it under a rug

· Open the broken places in your marriage (the ones you hesitate even to talk about) to God’s kind of reconciliation



Tocchini explains, “This is a transformational approach to breaking through the barriers and getting out of the ruts in our marriage by paying attention to our conversation—what we are thinking, our motivation for thinking it, and the impact it has on our spouse.”



Author Bio

Daniel L. Tocchini has worked with more than 5,000 couples through personal marriage coaching and the unique and life-changing marriage seminars offered through his organization, the Association for Christian Character Development. An ordained minister, chaplain, author, and highly successful speaker/coach, he lives with his family in California.

My Review: To be honest I totally didn't realize that I had signed up for this book and when it arrived I was quite taken aback by it. Most of what is in this book is the same stuff I had heard over my 24 yrs of marriage. Seriously I say take what you can use from it and chuck the rest. Not everything that is in a marriage enrichment book, seminar etc will you be able to use. However, here is a little nugget that you can use that not every Christian has available to them. If you have divorced singles, or even divorced remarried in your church, ask them what they'd do differently with what they know now that they wish they'd known then. Believe me you will get a wealth of information. Divorced men and women have the been there done that knowledge plus they also are willing to share their experience. I would encourage you to seek them out and gain a new perspective on your own marriage through them. Believe me when I say that I wish that instead of going to seminar after seminar, weekend couples retreats, that instead we would have had a seminar where the divorced singles in the church spoke to us about what they had learned from their mistakes, even if they weren't the one who caused the divorce; what they learned about themselves through the divorce process. It really is remarkable. Take advantage of the resources within your church body you will be utterly amazed at what you have right at your fingertips and what you can learn. Blessings!

Giveaway: I am giving away my copy of this book. Just leave a comment and I will draw a winner on February 25th. That is my youngest daughter's 17th birthday. Good luck!

First Line Friday Featuring Riot (A Breed Apart: Legacy #3) by Ronie Kendig and JJ Samie Myles

  Happy Friday!! Welcome to the weekend!!! Today I am featuring one of my favorite authors, Ronie Kendig. I loved A Breed Apart series and I...