For Love of Sarah

"You did not leave a note?" he asked incredulously. "Tell me you didn't leave a note!"

"Just a very brief one," she admitted in a small voice.

"I don't believe it!" he cried, pushing her away from him.

"Just what is this need that females have to leave notes? Can they not make a clean break?"

"I thought it better that he should know that I am gone and it will do him no good to search for me as I will not - cannot, return!"

"Exactly what did you say?"

"Merely that our marriage was a mistake and I could not remain with him. He must not search for me, as I will not return."

"It will raise a hell of a furor, you know."

"It's better that than the alternative. In time he will be able to divorce me and marry someone more suitable. He's well rid of me, and I of him."

"Don't worry, my dear," he said, drawing her once more to his side, "I will care for you."

In the novel, For Love of Sarah by author Hazel Statham, the reader is immediately taken by to the 1800's in London where the Countess of Thorne, Sarah has left her husband, Alexander Markham, Earl of Thorne after only being married for just four short weeks for the love of another. Now five years have passed and while visiting a blacksmith in Yorkshire, Alexander can hardly believe his eyes when he spots a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to his wife, Sarah. Can it be after all these years he has found her after all?

When he spotted her coming from a butcher's shop he paid no heed to what was happening around him and soon found himself felled by the glancing blow from a runaway dray containing casks of ale. As Sarah approached the bystanders, she found something unfamiliar as she looked at the man that now lay unconscious at her feet and her heart thudded painfully at the sight of the prone figure. As panic gripped her, her first instinct was to flee, but she saw the seriousness of the situation and fell to her knees at his side, silently praying that he would survive the accident. She dared not think of the consequences of his finding out her hiding place or her fiercely guarded secrets, her only thoughts were that he should live.

It had taken her many months to feel secure in her hiding place, but eventually , she had begun to be certain that she was no longer in danger of discovery. Now that certainty mocked her and she realized just how fragile had been her peace of mind. How was she to keep her secrets from him now that they would be forced into each other's company? She knew she could never return to him. The consequences would be too dire.

I received For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham compliments of the author for my honest review. It's always a true honor for me to be contacted by the author personally to review their novels and this is definitely a winner in my opinion. For those traditional regencies fans who love Jane Austin or series such as Downtown Abbey, this will be a true must read for you! This shows just how far some people will go to keep secrets and how eventually they will all be disclosed at some point no matter how far you try to run. This is a compelling read from the first page and guaranteed to engage the reader in suspense to see how it all plays out in the end. I personally rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about For Love of Sarah, Hazel Statham or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Montlake Romance (January 8, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1612186831
• ISBN-13: 978-1612186832
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches

13 Little Blue Envelopes

Ginny Blackstone, a 17 year-old-girl has always admired her eccentric Aunt Peg, who has traveled all over the world, experiencing life on a whim and just going with the flow of things. When she learns that Aunt Peg has died of a brain tumor without being able to say goodbye, Ginny learns of an unexpected plan that her Aunt Peg hatched in her moments of clarity. She receives a letter from Aunt Peg with $1000 cash and instructions to get a passport, purchase a ticket to London and take only what she can fit in a backpack. She can't take any electronic devices like cell phones, lap top or even any extra cash or ATM card. She is also not allowed to browse the internet before she leaves to gain any travel information about London.

There is one stop she must make before heading to the airport, she has to stop at the 4 Noodles in New York and retrieve a package. She can not open the package until she is on the plane. So Ginny does what most of us might do, she carries out the instructions and heads for New York to retrieve the package. While in route to London, she learns the package contains a letter and 13 little blue envelopes. The letter is once again from Aunt Peg who instructs her that each of these envelopes contain a task for her to complete. Once she completes the task, she can open the next envelope until she reaches the end. What Ginny learns through completing these series of tasks is that she gets to spend time with her Aunt Peg even though she isn't around and in the process learns a lot about herself along the way.

I received 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson as a Free Kindle Ebook and am so glad I did. Even though this book is written for the Young Adult audience, it's truly got a message tucked within the pages of this book that everyone needs to read. So the question is what if you received a message containing $1000 and instructions to obtain a passport and ticket to London, would you go? Trust me, you're going to love this book and now my 18-year-old daughter is planning on reading this one right after me. I would rate this adventure a true 5 out of 5 little blue envelopes!

For more information on this book, the author and even where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Blame It On Mistletoe

The elderly residents of Greenbrier's Nursing Home are simply up to no good! No good in the eyes of the residents of Bright Pond that is. Now that Hattie Grace who is almost ninety years old is now riding a tricyle like a three year old, and another couple is kissing like teenagers under the newly built gazebo on the property. Just what is really going on?

As Police Chief Mildred Blessing attempts to investigate all the angles on this strange dilemma, along with the nursing home doctor, they believe that someone is putting something in the food or water that the nursing home residents are drinking. Ever since Leon Fontaine has come to town and begin building things around Bright Pond, the residents here, are now acting a whole lot stranger than normal.

In the novel, Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin, the reader is introduced to some of the quirky residents living in Bright Pond. From a beloved woman named Ruth who is prepared to out do all the previous Thanksgiving festivities that have been hosted at others homes, by offering a Thanksgiving Tropical Luau and making it definitely one that will be talked about for years to come.

Griselda is at her wit's end trying to decide if she is in love with Zeb, the diner's chief cook extraordinaire or her new aviation teacher, Cliff. Now if only she could discover what love really means while both are doing their very best to try and impress her.

I received this book on my Kindle compliments of Net Galley and Abingdon Press for my honest review and this one is just perfect for not just Christmas but anytime. You can't help but fall in love with the amusing characters of Joyce Magnin's Bright Pond series, and this one is no exception! I rate this one a classical 5 out of 5 Christmas stars! For more information on this book, the author, a first chapter sneak peek and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the link below:

Blame It On Mistletoe by Joyce Magnin

The Chair

On Tuesday afternoon at five thirty, an elderly lady strode into Corin's antique store as if she owned it and said, "The next two months of your life will be either heaven or hell."

The corners of her mouth turned up a fraction. It was almost a smile.

"Excuse me?" Corin Roscoe stared at her over the mound of bills in front of him and stifled a laugh. White hair, deep smile lines etched into her high cheekbones - she had to be at least midseventies. Maybe eighty, but she moved like she was in her forties. She wore a dark tan coat that bounced off her calves as she strolled toward Corin, ice blue eyes full of laughter. She didn't look crazy.

"I've brought you the chair, you see." She stared at him as if that statement would explain everything.

Corin brushed his dark hair off his forehead and slid off the stool behind his sales counter. "What chair?"

The woman looked around the store like a schoolteacher evaluating a new classroom of students. Her eyes seemed to settle on the pile of precisely stacked books from the 1700's. "I love books, you know."

"Do I know you?" He took a step towards the woman.

"No." Her laugh had a tinge of music in it. "I hardly think so."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"You're a fortune teller, right? And think a little heaven and a little hell is coming my way. Can't I just subscribe to your newsletter?"

"Probably an interweaving of the two realms. And I believe you'll discover the hope of restoration. The final outcome will, of course, be your choice."

In the latest novel by James. L. Rubart, The Chair, takes readers on an exceptional journey into one of the greatest possible antiques ever discovered. A plain, wooden chair crafted perfectly in every dimension and whenever people sit in it, they are miraculously healed. Soon it appears that is possible that the chair was crafted by Jesus Christ and within the chair holds all the power He possessed after He was resurrected.

This being my third book by James L. Rubart, I couldn't wait to read this one when I read about it through his Facebook page. Literally on pins and needles waiting to the first opportunity to read this one. I was not disappointed for my long wait. Worth every single word on the page. He once more captivated my attention from the first few words I shared with you above, until the final paragraph that closes the book. It was exceptional once more and I could completely feel the burden that Corin carries with him throughout the book. The Chair will do more than keep you glued to every word, but pull at your own heart and provide you a clear picture at what Christ did for all of us on the cross.

I received this Kindle format compliments of B & H Publishing Group through Netgalley for my honest review and again, 5 out of 5 stars is not high enough for this book. It literally goes off the chart in my book and thank you James for becoming one of my personal favorite authors in my own personal collection of your literary works.

For more information about this book, the talented author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Chair by James L. Rubart

You can also follow him on his personal Facebook page by clicking here.

The Guardian

We all know about profound artifacts that humans have possessed at some point in the Bible. There has been the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God, the staff of Moses which allowed him to part the waters of the Red Sea and of course the famous Ark of the Covenant which was kept in the Holy of Holies where it is said the Mercy Seat of God dwelt. The most amazing thing is that none of them have ever been recovered.

Now one more piece of the Bible archive is about to be searched for, the scroll of John, the disciple of Jesus who wrote the book of Revelation. For centuries, descendants of John have been entrusted to care and keep the scroll from the enemies of God that would seek to recover it and rule over the world. Now the only person left as Anna Riley, who has recently discovered by an encounter with an angel what her mission is in helping to locate the missing scroll.

Armed with a team of people who have sworn to protect her at the cost of their own lives, she alone with one God has appointed as her Guardian, Jason Lang, will now use what they have at their disposal to find the scroll and guard it with their lives. Along the way, they will have angelic help to keep the armies of Satan from finding it first.

In the novel, The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed, we are taken on a journey like Indiana Jones, and recovering the mysteries of the book of Revelation to locate the lost scroll of John. The only thing these two people will have on their side is their faith in God alone which will guide them through the darkness as well as protect them from the enemies of the underworld.

I received this book compliments Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my honest review. I loved it. You get to see a battle on two fronts between good versus evil in both the seen and unseen realms. This is believable and have often wondered about some interesting questions that the book brings up and makes me wonder if it does really all exist just outside of where we have been searching. Great faith builder and asks the question just how far are you willing to go for your faith in Christ? I highly give this book a 5 out of 5 stars for exceptional historical fiction with a biblical twist.

For more information about this book, the authors and where to get a copy for yourself, please click on the links below:

The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed