Home To Paradise

It is hard to accept it when someone you love, simply doesn't love you the way you want. Even after you have grown up with them your whole life and at one point confessed their undying love for you. But after all these years of simply being away in the English world, Rose Anna Zook can't seem to forget the man she had hoped she would marry one day, John Stoltzfus. What makes matters even more complicated is the fact that both of her older sisters have married John's older brothers. They seemed to have found a way to bring them back into the Amish community and leave behind their English ways. So what can Rose Anna do to win back the man of her dreams?

Her parents would say that trying to manipulate a man to love you again would be completely wrong in many ways and in the very eye of their Amish community. But little does Rose Anna know about the relationship between John and his father that initially drove all three brothers from their childhood home. It might be easy for them to simply forgive and forget, but John can't and won't do that. The last thing he wants to do is be forced into a marriage to Rose even if he had plans to do just that before he left. Who wouldn't want to marry Rose Anna? She was the picture of what every Amish man would ever dream for in a wife and more. But since he can barely hold down any job much less three part time jobs, what kind of life could he offer her when he doesn't even know what he wants for his future? He isn't even sure that God has any hints that he can offer.

Rose Anna doesn't know what to do but she does trust her heart. She knows even though well-meaning Amish men might be worth courting, her heart has always belonged to John. She can't give up just yet. She only needs to find a way to convince him that coming back home and joining the church would be worth anything the two of them together can face. But if he learns she is trying to force him into marriage, all bets would be off. Oh how did life ever become so complicated for a simple Amish couple?

I received Home to Paradise by Barbara Cameron compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity. This is the third and final book in the Coming Home Series, the first being Return to Paradise and Seasons of Paradise where readers get a chance to see how each of the couples reaffirmed their love for one another and found the romance that was always waiting for them despite the struggles each had to face to get there. I absolutely LOVE Barbara Cameron's novels because she truly makes you care deeply about her characters and what motivated them to do what they do in moving the storyline forward. I absolutely love the chemistry between John's employer and mentor Neil and how their relationship deepens in a surprising way. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and even better is a handful of delicious Amish recipes and a discussion guide are included at the end of this novel.

For more information about Home to Paradise, Barbara Cameron, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Home to Paradise by Barbara Cameron 

You can find Barbara Cameron on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Home to Paradise, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page.


Home to Paradise, the final book in author Barbara Cameron's The Coming Home series, is not to be missed! Rose Anna Zook always thought she and John, one of Stoltzfus brothers, would marry, make a home together, and have children. But John, enjoying his Rumschpringe in the Englisch world, has other ideas. Rose Anna is determined to bring her man back into the Amish fold. John is equally determined to live his life free and unencumbered. Who will win this battle of wills? Will love prevail?

Join Barbara on Thursday, March 9, for a live author chat party on her Facebook page with fun prizes to be won! Click the graphic below for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there—bring a friend or two who loves Amish fiction!

Kingdom of Grace

Grace as defined by a dictionary is unmerited favor or goodwill. Think of it as kindness, charity, or even mercifulness. It is what sets being a Christian or Christ-follower apart from the world's religion. There is nothing you can do to work your way into heaven, it's a free gift. You don't have to do anything to earn it, just simply take it and accept it from Jesus. Yes, it's that simple. That is why most in the world reject it or spend their lives trying to earn their way into heaven by what they do. Now, don't get me wrong, works are important, but they are a reflection of that grace we have accepted. It is what defines whether we are loving as Jesus would have. It is a by-product of Jesus transforming our lives and now that is what comes out of who we have become, a changed person reflecting the love and grace of Christ in our own lives, much like a mirror.

Cho Larson in his wonderfully written book, Kingdom of Grace, the fourth book in his Kingdom Series, allows us to see this very nature at work in the lives of believers. Using the way Jesus chose to heal people, He never punished them for their way of life up to the point of His healing touch. He didn't worry about what people might think if He touched an unclean man with leprosy, it was all done out of love and compassion for the person He healed. It doesn't mean others were simply neglected either. It was to demonstrate what the simple act of grace could do, not just in the transforming of the outside of someone but more importantly what it did on the inside. It just couldn't be contained! Jesus even asked those He healed to tell no one about what happened, but they couldn't help it. They were forever changed on the inside and out.

I guess it is easy for some people to see it in order to believe it. Imagine how many more people might be won over for Christ, if He simply appeared and healed all the diseases and illnesses in the world. But it is that kind of faith that won't last. It's like thanking someone for a gift you wanted, and then when you no longer desire that gift, you lose interest in it and even possibly the person who gave it to you. That isn't the kind of grace Jesus provides when it is genuine. It changes you from the inside so much, you can't go back to the way you were before. You don't want to! This is a wonderful book that explores that life changing grace in a way, you might not have considered before. Believers and non believers alike will all get something amazing out of it, if you are willing to be open to see what the grace of Christ looks like!

I received Kingdom of Grace by Cho Larson compliments of Westbow Press. This is such a profound book using the scriptures found in the Bible to illuminate the differences of the grace the world sees and the one that Christ offers to all who put their faith and trust in Him. They will be forever changed by the simple definition of grace according to Jesus. For this reason I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. This would make for a great small group Bible study along with the previous books in the series to help you grow in your spiritual walk.

For more information about Kingdom of Grace, Cho Larson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Kingdom of Grace by Cho Larson

You can find Cho Larson on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

To see more reviews on Kingdom of Grace, please visit Westbow Press' website. 

Attend

Everywhere we look into our busy days there simply doesn't seem like there is enough time to get our items crossed off our "To Do" lists. The biggest challenge is not forgetting time with God during our busy days as Moms, Dads, Women and Men. So how do we find God in the ordinary things we do every single day? Is it possible that we can take time to converse and be in the presence of God while doing our mundane chores that must be completed like making our beds, cleaning up a mess, making ourselves a snack, lighting a candle to fragrance our home or even sitting with a loved one during a painful moment?

Laura Davis Werezak takes readers into the heart of 40 simply ways we can do just that and in the process find that God loves nothing more than to walk with us in every detail of our lives that we complete each day. Often times we feel cut off from God, when it is simply that He is very present, we have simply chosen to forget about inviting Him into the things we do each day. I believe we are simply forgetting those meaningful connections we used to have with Him and strive to find some time in our days and hope at the end of it, we will have a few minutes to connect with him. We find ourselves looking for the next best thing to connect with God so we can feel better about ourselves and the fact we even included Him into our day.

We need to begin to look for God in our every day moments. Take a moment and discover with all our senses that God is very present in everything we do. From the brush of the wind against our cheeks to the gentle kisses of water from rain drops on our skin. God is here. "Unpacking the truth of Isaiah 30:15, this book delightfully ventures through this process of turning toward God, resting quietly in God's presence and taking action to serve and glorify Him. To attend is to live with attention instead of retreating into a spiritualized reality or a digital virtual reality. To attend is to live the reality that God has designed, shaped, and formed specifically for us and for our benefit. Let us turn away from distraction, look one another in the eys and re-learn how to live in the world." (Front Flap).

I received Attend by Laura Davis Werezak compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups. This is such a simple way to get back to understand the importance of our intimate connection to God in the simplest ways. God isn't looking for over-achievers, just people willing to spend some real quality time with Him. I love the simple lessons found in this book and learning to mediate and understand how things like making a bed can teach us to manage tasks better, and that even if you have a terrible day in which nothing goes right, at least you can come home to an inviting bed. A made bed gives you the encouragement that tomorrow will be better! This would be a wonderful give of encouragement to someone you might know that needs a gentle reminder that God is very present in all things. For that reason, I easily give this book a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Attend, Laura Davis Werezak or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Attend by Laura Davis Werezak

You can find Laura Davis Werezak on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Attend, please visit Faith Word's website today. 

Life After

"It could have been me, so why wasn't it?"

Seems that is the most asked questions by those who survive a tragedy while others don't. For Autumn Manning, she was the only person of 23 victims of a train bombing on winter's night in Chicago. It wasn't just where she was sitting, where she got on, or any number of things one might think would provide the answer. All she wants to know is why and more importantly, why can't she move forward, even a year later.

Keeping all her bits and pieces of the accident in a binder, she finds some morbid connection to the 22 who died. To them, she wants to know more about them. To never forget who they were to their own families. What is her point of surviving if she has nothing to offer anyone especially herself. But she has vowed that she will never forget one single person, even visiting their graves, searching the internet for all she can find about who they were, what they did, and even their reason for being on the train, that she almost missed, but didn't.

She struggles with trying to explain things to her own family who believe that after all this time, she needs to find a life for herself, seek a therapist who might be able to help, but give up all this time-consuming processes of trying in her own mind to make restitution or amends some how. Yet when letters begin arriving at her house from Reese, a young 12-year-old girl who lost her mother in the accident, she struggles to find a way to help her deal with the grief and loss she has experienced. For both of them it's journaling their thoughts that help each other find a way through this loss and hopefully to find hope on the other side. When Reese's dad, Paul finds out about Reese's letter writing, he becomes furious. One for not being able to talk to him, a well-known marriage counselor, but two, talking to the one woman he wants nothing to do with. How will they begin to heal when they aren't able to talk to anyone about what it feels like on the inside for all of them?

I received Life After by Katie Ganshert compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. This is such a poignant novel in that it takes readers into the heart of the victims we don't often acknowledge, those that survive a tragedy, the ones who are called heroes and don't see themselves as one. Even though Autumn wasn't a hero, she has to deal with the animosity of those who wonder why she is so special while their loved one was taken. Where is God in all of this and what would He say? Why did she live and every one else died? What is she supposed to do now? I love how Reese chooses to find an outlet in her communication with Autumn and the unique way they both find a way to heal by remembering and not forgetting. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to even more books by this author in the future.

For more information about Life After, Katie Ganshert or where you can pre-order a copy of this book due out April 18, 2017, please click on the links below:

Life After by Katie Ganshert

You can find Katie Ganshert on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Life After, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publisher's website. 

Life After Heaven

Heaven.

It's something all of us want to believe exists and even hope that we will enter into if we die after this life on earth. There have been numerous books written from those who have died and come back, all conveying similar experiences. So what would make any other book different? I would challenge you to read, Life After Heaven by Steven R. Musick and see how you feel after you read it.

Like all the other books, Steven R. Musick did die and went to heaven. First entering through the tunnel of light and entering into what he believes is heaven. He walked with a man who he believes was Jesus and discussed all the things that had happened in his life up to the point of his death and how God worked in situations he may not have recognized. He conveyed to Steven that it's not really about what good we do for others but how God can use any and all circumstances in our life to further His plan in our lives and those whom our lives come into contact with, like ripples in the pond. Sadly Jesus told him that he wasn't there to stay and within minutes was back in his old body away from heaven and Jesus. He explains it simply as "the experience to taking a kid to Disneyland, letting him ride just one ride, and then tossing him back in the car without explanation, a profound sense of loss." In fact Steven would go on to keep his life after death experience a secret for almost a decade, but during those years, he attempted to discover why Jesus told him he wouldn't stay.

When he returned to his body, he discovered that the years in front of him would be the ultimate test f his faith as he suffered from a decrease in lung capacity by 60% and every breath of air would be a truly gift from God. All his future plans were simply re-written and now he would have to find a new beginning with his wife and soon to be family of sons, ones he simply couldn't play with due to his own physical limitations. He wondered why his prayers would go unheeded by God for healing. "Many people - and I was one of them - equate God's work of healing us or giving to us with the prosperity gospel. That's a false notion that God exists to benefit us and give us what we want. That couldn't be further from the truth. But an opposite mistake of equal danger is to think that God is dome kind of sour pragmatist who only gives something to you with divine strings attached. God does not exist for our appeasement. Nor does he find some excuse outside of pure love to give something good to us.  He is a father. He loves to give things to his kids. Things we need. Things that make us joyful. Things that are good."(pg 113).

I received Life After Heaven by Steven R. Musick compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. This goes beyond all the other books I have read on life after death on those believers and even non-believers that have seen what they believe is Heaven. This takes things a bit further. What does someone who has seen Heaven do when they come back? Are they changed for the better by having seen eternity? I believe that Steven has taken on God's challenge as he explains, "The economics of the kingdom of heaven are upside down: giving is better than getting, death can be life, life as the world sees it can be death, loss can be gain, gain can be loss. God's kingdom often flips the way we do little things upside down. In our culture we insulate ourselves in all kinds of ways. We cocoon. When the situation calls for it, God's volunteers needs to be able to strip away the cultural things to keep people apart." (pg 135).

I found myself challenged to really take my own personal relationship with God to a much deeper level than simply going through the bland Christian lifestyle, going to church, reading the Bible and praying when I remembered. This made me want to really understand what it means to connect with God more intimately and understand why I am here at all. "In terms of life on earth, I still have a retirement account," as Steve would say. "My purpose is to make my death worth living for. I mourn for what we're missing here on earth. I mourn for the things God offers here that we somehow choose not to appropriate. I mourn for the fullness we ignore, the love we don't recognize, the power and joy just waiting to be picked up by us. I would like to help everyone I can to receive a full measure of what's offered."( pg 141). I encourage you to pick this book up today and see for yourself what God's calling you to do with your life. You just might be surprised at what you find tucked inside and the reason I give this a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Life After Heaven, Steven R. Musick, or where you can preorder a copy of this book today due out on March 7, 2017, please click on the links below:

Life After Heaven by Steven R. Musick

You can download the first chapter of Life After Heaven by clicking here.

To read more reviews on Life After Heaven, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publisher's website.

The Returning

It all boils down to the ultimate show-down between good and evil in a Christian Dystopian look into the future with Rachelle Dekker's Seer series in her final novel The Returning. Ancient prophecy has always pointed to a future event that most thought would never happen. A thing written about with no basis for coming true, at least to those living in Authority City. Anyone who opposes those in power or has any idea other that confirming to the well-being of all citizens is simply sent to the re-education center to be administered with a serum known as the Genesis Formula. It makes them comply without thinking for themselves and now they become part of the collective minds of those running the city.

However, there is a band of rebels who have managed to leave the city despite all attempts to capture them. Within this band of fugitives are seven individuals who have been called to fulfill the prophecy of returning those in Authority city back to the way God had intended. Led by a man named Aaron who has shown them the ultimate way of living, no one knows if he is really a man or simply a figment of their over active imaginations. He has always shown them the real purpose of their lives and how those in power in Authority City have forced those in opposition to be re-educated or eliminated. He has uncovered the darkness that has been led to breed uncontrolled by those who have a sinister purpose in mind.

Now Carrington and Remko Brandt have to put their trust in Aaron to lead this team of prodigals on their higher purpose to release those in bondage using their unique specialized gifts granted to them by God to redeem those who are lost in an effort to set them free and restore the city back to the grand vision God has for them. However it is a difficult decision for the Brandt's since their oldest daughter, Elise, was captured during a raid outside the city and it has been years since that day. Not knowing if she is dead or alive, they trust that their youngest daughter Kennedy whose has vowed to find her if she is still alive and bring her back home. Just when this team heads out back to the city to fulfill their prophecy, an army marches against those living in sanctuary waiting for their return to take them captive and force them to submit to the darker authority now controlling Authority City.

I received The Returning by Rachelle Dekker compliments of Tyndale House Publishers and Net Galley. For fans of such series like Divergent and the Hunger Games, you will love this Christian take on a similar story line. Out of the entire series, I have to say my all-time favorite was The Choosing, the first novel. I love the different twist on the value people place on their looks and self esteem and how some were chosen and others who aren't are forced into a life of serving others within the city as outcasts. Dekker does an exceptional job at reminding readers between each novel what had happened prior so it is easy to pick up the action as you immerse yourself into each subsequent novel. This one was a bit predictable in some ways as you could figure out how things would need to be resolved before the series reached its conclusion. I would give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion however.

For more information about The Returning, Rachelle Dekker or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Returning by Rachelle Dekker 

You can find Rachelle Dekker on Facebook to stay up to date on her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Returning, please visit Tyndale House Publisher's website. 

Deep Water

We all want drugs to be made available that will cure the world of what is ailing us, even saving the life of someone we know. But just how does all those clinical trials really work? Are pharmaceutical companies really willing to risk whatever it takes to get their newest drugs to market?  That is the latest premise behind Christine Poulson's medical thriller Deep Water.

When a man dies based on the human testing portion of a new drug to target obesity in humans and offer something the world has been waiting for, suddenly everything is called into question. When the lab book goes missing that contains all the necessary information pertaining to the step-by-step processes of those who have been working on the drug and then the lawyer assigned to the case winds up dead, something is going wrong and they are running out of time to uncover what is really happening behind the scenes.

It gets personal for Daniel Marchmont, a patent lawyer whose ex-wife Jennifer was killed while investigating this case. Daniel's daughter Chloe will be one of the first patients to benefit from a new drug if the testing can be confirmed to prevent her from having daily blood infusions or else die from her genetic disorder and one that the lab who was also working on the obesity drug is handling. Are corners being cut for the sake of profit or is there something more sinister in the works.

I received Deep Water by Christine Poulson compliments of Kregel Publications and Lion Hudson Publishers. It definitely opens the readers eyes to what really goes on behind all those clinical trials and makes you wonder what might happen if something should suddenly go wrong when it comes to human testing. Is it worth billions if one person dies so others can live? A chilling look at a medical mystery, I only wish it would have closed out the story-lines a bit better, but perhaps a sequel is in the works to continue where this one kinda of left off. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Deep Water, Christine Poulson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Deep Water by Christine Poulson

You can find Christine Poulson on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Deep Water, please visit Kregel Publications website. 

The Fireman

Gotta love it when you find a great suspense novel that finds something that no one has really written about, and turn it into a 750 page novel that keeps you glued to your seat until the very end. Joe Hill, son of Stephen King has taken on his father's talents to weave something truly unique that will gain the readers attention from the very first page. Don't let the number of pages overwhelm you because this novel is so good and well paced it won't feel like it is too long to enjoy. For once a writer takes his time to weave a story so amazing you will be thinking about it long after you finish.

The Fireman is an apocalyptic futuristic novel that begins when a spore based fungus takes on the characteristics of black and gold metallic marks on the skin that is now referred to as "Dragonscale." Those that have it are incurable and within weeks to months those that have it, spontaneous combust into a ball of fire leaving nothing behind but their ashes to scatter on the prevailing winds. It is highly contagious and no one knows how it might be transmitted except by skin to skin contact. Hospitals are beyond overcrowded and even the CDC is at a loss on what to do to help contain it.

Harper Grayson is a nurse that is stretched beyond her physical limits to help. Her husband Jakob believes she is putting herself at risk working in close proximity to those who have it. Yet despite all the best precautions, she does develop Dragonscale and at the same time learns that she is pregnant. Jakob blames her and decides he has to move out to ensure he doesn't get it as well. The incubation time is 6-weeks to know if he will have it too, but Harper feels that she has learned more about Jakob's true character than she wants to. All she knows is Jakob has been hiding his own set of secrets and she has been played. Now he joins a self appointed posse hunting down those who have the disease and isn't at all concerned it will mean taking out Harper in the process.

She joins a group of people who have the disease that have hidden themselves away in a camp that has found a way to control the combustion of the spore lingering inside of them and some, like the man known as the Fireman, can even manipulate it into a weapon of destruction he can use at will to help protect those that would seek to destroy them all. Harper wants to learn how to control it so she can live long enough to have her baby and hopefully it will be born without the disease if only the Fireman will teach her.

I received The Fireman by Joe Hill compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. While the novel is engaging it does contain quite a bit of profanity laced throughout the book which man offend some readers as well as some sexual content. However, the novel is well-thought out and keeps the reader so well hooked, you can't put it down until you see how it will all play out by the end. For me this one was a 4 out of 5 stars only based on the content and profanity which has been part of my own personal rating system.

For more information about The Fireman, Joe Hill or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Fireman by Joe Hill

You can find Joe Hill on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Fireman, please visit William Morrow's website. 

The Illusionist's Apprentice

"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes." Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of Baskervilles (1902).

Some people call it magic, others illusion, but only those on stage performing it in the limelight know the secrets that each act holds. Yet truth is the illusion we always chase and often times it is far from what we may think it is. That's the thing about secrets is that they always come up for air. They're never content to stay buried for long. For Wren Lockhart, illusion is all she has, and once it is broken, the story dies forever.

Training under one of the great magicians ever to have lived, Harry Houdini, she has acquired all his hidden secrets, and its those very secrets that some would give anything to possess. But for Wren Lockhart who lives what some might call eccentric lifestyle, trust is the one thing she can't afford to share with anyone, even if it means locking her heart away with it. She knows one thing for sure and that is secrets are best hidden in plain sight. If there is no darkness, there would be no opportunity for light to overcome it. That is the time when heroes arise.

For Agent Elliot Matthews, his job is to notice what other people don't. When an illusion in a cemetery to raise a man from the dead appears to work for a brief moment, he soon becomes his former self, a dead corpse again. Elliot knows that there is no one better to talk to about this act than those who performs illusions among the Vaudeville performers but like most, he knows that the elusive Wren Lockhart won't be easy to convince to help. It appears that she is hiding more than what the eye can see and it is that mask and the girl behind it that is worth more than what the world sees on a stage. Now if he can only convince her to help, before the body counts continue to rise.

I received The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley. While I was hoping for one kind of story just looking at the title this was something a bit different. I didn't think it was a murder mystery, but for it was an exceptional one along the lines of what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might have written. It contains just the right elements of suspense and secrets that the reader has a hard time guessing who all is involved until the very end. I love how the chapters take the reader back and forth from the past to present times, so you can see how the current story is unfolding and how those secrets that Wren has kept locked away has helped keep certain things safe in her life. There is even a discussion guide included at the conclusion of this book along with an Author's Note that conveys what is fictional in the novel and what is historical fact. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Illusionist's Apprentice, Kristy Cambron or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel today that is due out in March of 2017, please click on the links below:

The Illusionist's Apprentice by Kristy Cambron

You can find Kristy Cambron on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Illusionist's Apprentice, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website.

Priceless - DVD Review and Giveaway

Sometimes when it seems as if your life is at an end, and all you have is hope for something better, you might just attempt to do whatever it takes to make things right again. James Stevens (Joel Smallbone) is a widower who has lost everything that meant anything to him. First his wife passed away unexpectedly and when he failed to find work, he also lost custody of his daughter Emerson to be raised by his mother. Now he is desperate enough to do anything without asking questions and one such job might be the pay off he was anticipating.

All he needs to do is drive a box truck from one location to another and just bring the cargo without any questions. But after driving all night, highway hypnosis gets the better of him, and he loses control of the truck on a long stretch of road. When he checks out the truck he hears crying coming from the locked portion of the vehicle. He breaks it open to find two sisters who have been told they have to help settle their father's enormous debt by doing whatever is asked of them. None one has any idea that this meant selling his daughters to human traffickers.

When James learns of the two young girls fate, he can't help but wonder just what is the worth of a woman's life? Would he be willing to sell his daughter if that happened to settle a debt? So he attempts to find the young women at all costs, even it if means he loses visitation rights to see his daughter again. All he knows is that he can't rest until he finds the two women and bring them back home because the value of a woman is truly priceless.

I received Priceless by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Icon Media Group. This is a powerful movie that conveys the hidden darkness happening around us every single day in regards to women being sold to human traffickers. It is also the inspiration behind For King and Country's song, Priceless and love that the movie's main character is played by frontman of the band, Joel Smallbone. Bonus features on the Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD include exclusive performance by for King and Country, the making of Priceless, the heart behind the film, and deleted scenes. I easily give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars and love how this brings awareness to the very real threat happening in regards to human traffickers.

Now for the best part, thanks to Icon Media Group, they are offering a giveaway copy of Priceless Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital HD to one lucky follower of Reviews From The Heart. Here's all you need to do to enter this giveaway.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart

2. "Like" Priceless the Movie's Facebook page. 

3. Be a resident of the US. Please no P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of Priceless along with your email address. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols. Without an email address, I can't notify you if you are the lucky winner.

Winners will be notified by email on February 20, 2017 and will have 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. Please feel free to enter as many times as you wish.

For more information about Priceless, For King and County or how to pick up a copy of this movie today, please click on the links below:

Priceless by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

You can find Priceless the Movie on Facebook to learn more about the movie and the true stories behind the film.

You can find this DVD available on Amazon on February 14, 2017 or at other fine retailers near you.

Behind The Scenes

Fans of traditional regencies will definitely LOVE Jen Turano's latest novel Behind the Scenes! Miss Permilia Griswold is what society has deemed a wallflower, but she has the spirit to not let anyone tell her what she can and can't do, especially since her stepmother, Ida and stepsister, Lucy seem intent on making sure that she finds a suitable match and if not, to do nothing to embarrass their attempts to secure the right man for Lucy. Mrs. Ida Webster, a formidable lady one learned rather quickly not to cross - and a lady who staunchly believed a woman's place was in the home, not traveling around the country participating in...business.

For Permilia she loved being considered a wallflower. It was the only time she could travel with ease behind the scenes, observing society without anyone noticing. This would help her to blend in better at all the society functions Ida and Lucy insist she attend and one that would allow her to gather facts to write about in her society column under the pseudo name of Miss Quill. Only in this circumstance at the Vanderbilt ball, Permilia is about to face her greatest challenge, Mr. Asher Rutherford of Rutherford and Company. He is a self-made man who is society's greatest eligible bachelor who finds the untamed and unconventional spirit of Permilia to his liking for some odd reason. She holds nothing back and isn't about to conform to what Ida or Lucy deem appropriate for her. All she desires is to work with her father in his mining business and has taken it upon herself to learn all she can about the business world.

When she learns of a plot to murder Asher Rutherford while hiding in the Vanderbilt mansion, she will do whatever it takes to ensure that no harm comes to him, even if it means tarnishing her reputation. She even manages to gain some help from other wallflowers in an effort to be taken serious, of which Asher is convinced that Permilia has simply jumped to conclusions. Nevertheless, he finds simply being in her company to be like a moth to a flame only he needs to make sure that he doesn't get burned in the process. After all, most of society shops within the doors of Rutherford and Company for all their latest fashions and he needs to ensure that he doesn't do anything rash to make headlines in the local gossip columns.

I received Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano compliments of Baker Publishing Group and Net Galley. There is something to Jen Turano's writing style that casts a hook into you and you don't want this novel to end. Her character of Permilia is well-conceived, strong and determined and willing to not be a role model for what society deems is appropriate. She wants more out of life and isn't waiting around for a man to provide it. While she definitely has gumption, she also walks a tight-rope to ensure she doesn't embarrass her father and cause undo harm to his business while she seeks to find her own way in the world. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and find myself relating to Permilia as that would likely be how I would have been in her world. No fear, bold and full of passion! This is the first novel in the Apart From The Crowd series and one I am looking forward to!

For more information about Behind the Scenes, Jen Turano, or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel due out in April, please click on the links below:

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

You can find Jen Turano on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Behind the Scenes, please visit Baker Publishing Group's website. 

The Chapel Car Bride

I love when I pick up a novel for one reason and end up learning about the history of things I had never heard about. In the case of Judith Miller's latest novel, The Chapel Car Bride, the history of chapel cars is the setting for this historical romance novel. Pastor Layton Irvine and his 19-year-old daughter Hope journey along the railroads visiting the towns that they pass and offer a traveling church if you will to the residents of those towns known as the Herald of Hope chapel car. It is a service the railroads provide free when they can and often times requires the chapel car to stay on the spur line, until the next train can take them a bit further.

This has offered Hope the opportunity to travel with her father and minister to the children of these small towns where churches haven't even been built yet. With their final destination in the small town of Finch, Hope and Layton offer more than just spiritual teachings. They also help out the town's residents in whatever needs to be done such as repairing buildings, bringing food to those who need it and befriending those families struggling to find hope in their small town existence.

The town of Finch is a mining town that is wary of outsiders. They have had their share of people coming to town trying to take advantage of them or to steal their very livihoods while the families struggle to make ends meet while working whatever hours the Finch Mine and Company offers. Lately with a slow down in production and unsafe working conditions, the mine is struggling to make a profit. Luke Hughes is one of those men who is trying to find a way to help his family after losing his father in a mining accident he believes that the Finch Mine and Company is responsible for. It seems as if the owner of the mine have sent Kirby Finch, his son to find out what has been going on at the mine and to ensure that no one is considering forming a strike against them. Kirby is being forced into the position due to his gambling debts in Pittsburgh which his father consistently has to bail him out of.

Hope Irvine believes that if the mining company would be willing to pay for the repairs needed in the mining cabins they provide for the workers, it might just be the thing to appease the workers and create a more friendly working environment and open up negotiations between the two. Kirby sees it as advantageous to offer small concessions but his has his mind set on improving his own lot in life, even if that means making some cuts in mining safety and finding other resources to supplement his income so he can leave this small town, and Hope just might make passing the time worthwhile.

I received The Chapel Car Bride by Judith Miller compliments of Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers. This is such a great novel because it conveys the living conditions of those living in a small mining town and how they would find ways to make a living when faced with lay offs. Hard to believe some mining companies would take advantage of these workers and force them to take their wages in supplies provided by the mining companies stores and raise the prices to keep the workers in debt to the company so they have to find other ways to make a living if they hope to move on. I give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and can't wait to read more novels from Judith Miller!

For more information about The Chapel Car Bride, Judith Miller or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Chapel Car Bride by Judith Miller

You can find Judith Miller on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Chapel Car Bride, please visit Bethany House Publishers.

A Fragile Hope

"Alone. It's a feeling. Not a destination or condition. God is especially near to those who think they're alone." ~ Seedlings and Sentiments from the "Faith" collection.

Too bad pieces of wisdom like this one came to Josiah Chamberlain a bit too late. One would hardly believe that the writer of such valued books on marriage, would fail to recognize that his own marriage was in trouble. But life can be like that sometimes, passing us by without us realizing it and we wonder why did all the time go. But now, Josiah will have to come to terms with an unknown future and the endless questions that have no answers. The only people who could answer them are either dead or in a coma. Was his wife really having an affair and leaving him?

Now faced with an uncertain future, not knowing if his wife, Karin would ever gain consciousness, he can only stare at her hopeless and wonder about the few clues left behind. A note left to her business partner Leah apologizing for leaving her and the mess that would come with it. A packed suitcase. Leah's husband Wade, driving her so far from her business and then subsequently losing control of her car and hitting a tree, killing him. What didn't he see? Why would she leave him after all these years?

Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, Josiah learns that Karin is pregnant and that the child has managed to survive the accident. The one thing Josiah knows is that the child isn't his. For many years Karin and him had tried unsuccessfully to have children and after all the tests came back, it appears that he is the one to blame. Even after learning of this and still wanting children, Karin was willing to adopt by Josiah was adamant that this wouldn't be an option. If God had wanted them to have children, they would be able. He now was comfortable with them living out their remaining years as a couple. Just how long had this affair with Wade been going on? Where did he go wrong in meeting her needs that she had to look someplace else? Then again, if she has to ask, then I'm doing it wrong.

I received A Fragile Hope from Cynthia Ruchti compliments of Abingdon Press and Net Galley. The one thing I notice about Cynthia Ruchti's novels is that they take you to those uncomfortable places in life that no one wants to go. In fact people are relieved when it happens to someone else and not them. In this case the issue of infidelity is tossed in the face of a man who is considered an expert in marriage and finds that while he was busy giving his advice to everyone else, he failed to listen to any of it himself. Now face with the uncertainty of a future without his wife and a baby that isn't his, all he can do is struggle with the silence facing him. The only one who can explain things is in a coma that doesn't look like a great outcome and how will he deal with it if those answers remain unknown forever? For me this one was worth 5 out of 5 stars and includes discussion questions that make this perfect for book clubs.

For more information about A Fragile Hope, Cynthia Ruchti or where you can pre-order a copy of this book that is due out in April of 2017, please click on the links below:

A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

You can find Cynthia Ruchti on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Fragile Hope, please visit Abingdon Press' website.