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. 

To Have and To Hold

Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. Something changes in the air. Perhaps it is the dance of the falling leaves on the wind, the crispness to the air or maybe it's just a time for great novel about love and romance while sitting by the warm fire and drinking something hot. To Have and To Hold is that perfect blend of three great fall romance novellas by Betsy St.Amant, Katie Ganshert and Becky Wade all gathered together in one great book. Each taking a turn at creating something unforgettable and timeless in each of their respective novellas.

Love Takes the Cake by Betsy St. Amant is a delightfully sweet tale of Charlotte Cantrell, owner and proprietress of The Donut Knot, a small bakery that she has always dreamed would one day provide the income a single mother like herself would need to support her young daughter Zoe. Now if she can simply put all romantic interest of out her mind and focus on working with her latest Bridezilla to determine which cake flavor she would most like for her wedding cake. Only it turns out that she is simply too stressed to make all these decisions and defaults under the suggestion of her fiancè to have the best man, Will Martin work with Charlotte to come up with the right combination for all her events leading up to the wedding. Now if she can only stick to her plan not to get involved with anyone while she dreams of what it would be like to date Will instead?

The Perfect Arrangement by Katie Ganshert takes us for a reminiscent ride back through all those old black and white romance movies with Amelia Woods who simply wanted to see what her former boyfriend, Matt's wedding looks like. She wasn't 'spying' she was simply putting her past behind her with this last attempt at letting go. She just never dreamed she would run into the next love of her life, literally by rear-ending his car. Turns out that Nate Galligher might have met his match with Amelia. As the two begin corresponding through email as Amelia attempts to apologize for hitting him and then leaving so quickly, it turns out that they have more in common than they thought and that is love for old classic movies and the romance that those former days seems to allude to. But will Amelia and Nate find the lasting connection or will they simply fade away into the sunset?

Love in the Details by Becky Wade wraps up the book with two former high school sweethearts, Holly and Josh, that are reunited again after 8 years to find themselves suddenly working together on a wedding. Their relationship ended with both being confused on why and thus hurt feelings materialize once again to show that those smoldering embers might just have an opportunity to fan into flames of a former love if they can simply find a way to communicate over what really happened and how a misunderstanding might just be a reason for finding forgiveness and a second chance at true happiness.

I received To Have and To Hold by Betsy St.Amant, Katie Ganshert and Becky Wade compliments of Net Galley and Zondervan Publishers. The best thing about a romance book like this one is you get a little taste of romance with three very talented authors. Kinda feels like a Hallmark movie marathon and for me, my favorite had to be The Perfect Arrangement simply because I am a fan of You've Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner. They simply don't make them like that anymore and combined with just the right blend of comedy, romance and a yearning for something more, these all feel like their own novels on their own. If you have never read any of these author's books, please consider checking all of them out. For me this is another 5 out of 5 stars and now that it's fall, it seems like the perfect time for love and watching my favorite classic romance movies one more time. Each of these novellas offers their own discussion guides at the conclusion which makes this a perfect fit for book clubs.

For more information about To Have and To Hold, Betsy St.Amant, Katie Ganshert, Becky Wade or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

To Have and To Hold by Betsy St. Amant, Katie Ganshert and Becky Wade

You can find Betsy St.Amant on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

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

You can find Becky Wade on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on To Have and To Hold, please visit Zondervan Publisher's website. 

The Art of Losing Yourself

Do you ever feel like your drowning in your life, and no one notices? Everyday it seems like everyone is going along with their own lives, while you are watching yours fall apart bit by bit. You pray, but it even feels like God has abandoned you? Then you know exactly what Carmen Hart feels like almost every single day. Being married to her childhood sweetheart, they had always wanted a family. Yet it seems like its just not in God's plan for their life. After having six miscarriages, Carmen has lost more than her will to life, she seems to have lost her sanity at the same time.

Being in the public eye has never posed a problem in the past, but when shopping for a friends baby shower gifts at Toys R Us, and walks back to her car, she sees an expectant mother sign and completely loses it. After running over the sign repeatedly, she never expected someone to film it and post it to YouTube. Now as the local weathergirl this is not the type of publicity the station is looking for and tells Carmen to take some time off, til this blows over.

Only Carmen can't even discuss any of this with her husband Ben, because after losing so many children, she has put up walls between them and has no intention on taking them down any time soon. She finds solace renovating an old motel that has been in their family for generations. It's either fix it up and attempt to get it running again or sell the dilapidated property and let part of her treasured past go. What she doesn't expect to find there is her seventeen-year-old sister Gracie living there because it is the only real place she can call home. Their mother has turned back to alcohol once again and just seems like their parental roles have been reversed. Gracie is struggling to fit in where it seems like she doesn't and finds solace in the memories from years past in the old motel. Will this restoration project prove to be just what they both need to reconcile their pasts and move to a brighter future?

I received The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a great novel and truly enjoyed reading it over the weekend. It is such an escape from life, because you can definitely relate to either the characters of Gracie or Carmen. They are both struggling with the demands others have unfairly placed on them even though neither of them will admit it to those closest to them. They keep those buried deep inside instead of confronting them and sharing them with the very people that they need to. I found myself relating more to Carmen because of her apparent need to appear that she is all put together on the outside, but is literally falling apart on the inside. It's like we have to appear strong for others, but never let others see our need for comfort in our own personal struggles. I would have loved to see how some of the situations resolve themselves by the end, and am hoping there might be a sequel to this one in the near future! Well worth every single one of the 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. There is a discussion guide at the conclusion of this book which is perfect for book clubs!

For more information on The Art of Losing Yourself, Katie Ganshert or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Art of Losing Yourself 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 The Art of Losing Yourself, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page.