For Love of Eli

"You should be thanking God that you have these things to help you remember your loved ones."

How true this wisdom was coming from 4-year-old Eli who had already dealt with handling the loss of both his parents. Now if only Taylor could come to terms with her own grief and finally look in the attic where the memories of her family lay waiting to be discovered. After opening the trunk her mother had left for her, she discovered a box at the bottom with a letter that was written by her mother when she was 7 years old. Inside the box lay scraps of fabric her mother had hoped to turn into a memory quilt but died before she had the chance. Yet poor Eli didn't have much to remember either of his parents as his mother had gotten rid of most of their personal affects before she died.

Taylor had been appointed as Eli's guardian by his mother and as his aunt she wants to do something for his birthday to help him keep the love of his parents close to his heart. He spends his time helping Taylor with running the Misty Wolf Inn, a quaint Bed and Breakfast with a few horses for the guest enjoyment. Taylor alternates weekends and holidays with Eli's Uncle Reece, a pediatrician who is still having a hard time coming to grips with the fact he didn't see the signs of depression in his sister until it was too late. Now he spends his time second guessing every probable circumstance that could go wrong to make sure nothing happens to Eli. However no matter how much animosity he has for Taylor, it's her charming ways of making him feel cared for that is slowly melting his ice cold heart. Hopefully he will realize it before someone else does and whisks her away instead.

I received For Love of Eli by Loree Lough compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Abingdon Press for my honest review. This is truly a story about healing and understanding that the process of grief is a long one and also one that never ends but gets easy to manage over time. Too many times all the "what if's" begin to surface when it seems as though we could have alleviated the issue or helped to prevent it from occurring in the first place. It goes to show some very heart felt emotions not only within the characters of Taylor and Reece but also in the child like faith of Eli, who truly is much older than he is on the inside. This is a great novel to share with anyone trying to get over something from the past and moving into the healing and forgiveness stage. I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! This is the fourth book in the Quilts of Love Series!

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

For Love of Eli by Loree Lough

You can also find Loree Lough on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

You can also find more reviews on For Love of Eli on the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour by clicking here. 

A Man of Honor - Review and Giveaway

Dusty Parker is a man most would look at twice and wonder who he really is. On the outside, he's a big, muscle bound, tattooed, diamond pierced ear, Harley riding, pony-tailed man. But it's who he is on the inside that really matters and it matters a lot to the foster teenage boys he's raising in The Last Chance home. He is a part-time pastor and part-time Search and Rescue worker with a true heart of gold. Despite the fact he has what some would consider a colored past, Dusty tries to do all he can to give the boys he's helping to raise make lives for themselves where they wouldn't have had any hope.

A chance encounter on a recent Search and Rescue case for a teenage girl missing from prom, leads Dusty to work with a volunteer. She turns out to be the teacher of the missing girl and can identify her before the police can. Turns out that Grace Sinclair is an inner city school teacher with her own colored past. Yet Grace truly lives up to her name, offering the gift of grace to those she meets, from Molly Logan, the grieving parent of the missing teenage girl, to offering up her 30-acre ranch home when gang members threaten the boys staying with Dusty. Does God have a plan for both of them to use their pasts to create a new brighter future?



In the latest novel from Loree Lough, in her First Responder Series, A Man of Honor takes us into a different character than we have known before. Dusty's past comes from a tragic experience during 9/11 that costs him his career. He also has received a discharge from the Marines due to not being able to follow strict orders. Grace is also suffering from tragic circumstances surrounding the loss of someone in 9/11 as well, but it's her ability to care for others that makes her so admirable and attractive to Dusty. In the midst of this compelling story we find that local gang wants to induct the boys, Dusty is trying to save into his gang and if Dusty keeps him waiting much longer, he will make sure that his message is received loud and clear.

I received A Man of Honor compliments of Abingdon Press and Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review. I've read every single novel in Loree's First Responder Series and they are truly addicting because of how well she creates her characters. She doesn't make them perfect, but uniquely flawed so they can become believable and wind their way into our hearts like family. In A Man of Honor, you find yourself rooting for Dusty and Grace as much as the boys and girls they care for despite all the odds against them. There's even an appearance from Honor Mackenzie, the top SARs trainer from book 2. The best part about this series of books, is that Loree brings old and new characters together and blends them perfectly to create a story you'll fall in love with. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to many more in this amazing series!

Thanks to the generous folks at Pump Up Your Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy of this book to one lucky reader. Here's all you have to do to enter.

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

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you already "Like" me, then leave a comment there letting me know you stopped by.

4. Leave a comment below along with your email address telling me why you'd like to win a copy of this book. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. Remember if you don't leave an email address, I can't contact you if you're the winner.

The giveaway will end on September 20th and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

For more information on A Man of Honor, Loree Lough, or where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

A Man of Honor by Loree Lough

You can also follow Loree Lough on Facebook, by clicking here.

Looking for my reviews from the Pump Up Your Book Tour, click here.

If you want to read the other books in the series, I have included the links to my past reviews on them below:

Book 1: From Ashes to Honor
Book 2: Honor Redeemed

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (August 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426714629
• ISBN-13: 978-1426714627

Honor Redeemed

Honor Mackenzie has dedicated her life to honoring the sacrifice of her finacee John who died in the search and rescue efforts of 9/11 as a volunteer. Now Honor has taken up a similar task as a SARs trainer. Since she is the best, she is the one that is most likely to be called upon whenever someone goes missing. Today she is at the scene of a jumbo jet accident that has crash landed on a busy highway with subsequent debris falling miles away. Now searching in the national park, she comes across the tail section of the plane along with the wing and survivors still trapped inside. This is where her heart is, finding and rescuing survivors.

Matt Phillips is the roving news reporter that has been called the the scene of the biggest headline, a plane crash and he's there to make sure that he captures all the details and takes the first pictures to make it to the papers before the morning edition. Dressing like a first responder, he hopes to find a rookie member of the rescue team that will allow him to blend in and capture the story, what he didn't hope to find is a face to face meeting with Honor Mackenzie who loathes reporters of all kinds especially one dressed as a search and rescue team member.

Both Honor and Matt are struggling with learning to let go of their pasts and learn to move forward even though the costs might be greater than they had hoped. Both are dealing with the losses of people that they have loved and lost and now just when their are hopes of them falling in love, both of them gain a sense that the risk of losing someone they love again, keeps them at arms lengths apart. When tragedy strikes one of them, will they find a way to put their past behind them and finally admit they are ready to take a second chance at love?



I received Honor Redeemed, book two in the First Responders Series by author Loree Lough compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Abingdon Press for my honest review. Being a huge fan of Loree's since reading her first book in the series From Ashes to Honor, I knew that I would read this one the moment it came to print. Loree's writing style will hook you right from the beginning and genuinely make you love her characters. Designed to showcase the lives of First Responders, this one spotlights the actions of SARs or Search and Rescue responders and shows just how difficult and rewarding their lives can be as well as that of their canine companions. You will not be disappointed to read this one as a stand alone, but trust me, once you do, you'll have to go back and read her first book in the series as well where the story of Mercy and Austin first came to life. They are now supporting characters in this novel. I highly recommend this one to animal lovers, first responder fans and those looking for a great suspense romance and easily award this my highest rating a 5 out of 5 stars.

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

Honor Redeemed by Loree Lough

You can also find Loree Lough on Facebook by clicking here.

From Ashes to Honor - Giveaway and Review

If he had only answered that last phone call from the World Trade Center...

Minutes before two jumbo jets changed U.S. history, NYPD officer Austin Finley ignored the call from his brother. Mercy Samara, who cost Austin his job after 9/11, leaves the city to work as a school counselor in Baltimore. When Mercy and Austin cross paths again, will their common - and painful - memories finally bring them closer or drive them further apart? (excerpt back cover).

In the latest novel from Loree Lough, From Ashes to Honor, works through the lives of Dr. Mercy Samara and former NYPD officer, Austin Finley, who are brought together following the events of 9/11. Mercy is a clinical psychologist whose goal is determine if Austin is fit enough to return to work as a NYPD officer after multiple incidents involving his out of control temper. Despite all his sessions with Mercy, he won't come to terms with what happened that fateful day and how it affecting him in his work and therefore, remains in denial.

Mercy struggling with her own issues involving 9/11 and the fact that most people stereotyped her as another Muslim terrorist following the attacks, while trying to help first responders like Austin deal with the underlying trauma of that day. When she can't sign the release authorizing Austin to return to anything other than desk duty, there paths will take them to new places but will once again intersect.

This time, Austin has turned his talents to becoming an EMT and Mercy has moved to Baltimore to take up something less stressful than working with first responders in the aftermath of 9/11, she now works as a high school guidance counselor. When a football player is injured and the paramedics are called, Mercy and Austin come face to face once more.



I received this book compliments of Abingdon Press for my honest review and couldn't wait to dive into this one once it arrived. This story takes the reader into an emotional ride into the lives of Mercy and Austin but also into the lives of the supporting characters as well, Griff, Flora and Bud, and even the strained relationship with Leo, Mercy's half brother. What we get an opportunity to see is how the rebuilding of what people went through following 9/11 is an ongoing, life changing process that will never be forgotten. It's not something that will ever be forgotten, especially in the lives of Mercy and Austin.

This book is a perfect tribute to those first responders of the 9/11 tragedy that forever changed all of us. It united us all in a common goal, a goal to take care of one another, and see past our differences. This would make a great gift for anyone involved in first response or who loves anything dealing with 9/11. I rate this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this must read book, click on the links below:

From Ashes to Honor by Loree Lough

You can find Loree on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks to Loree Lough and Abingdon Press, they have generous provided a giveaway copy for one lucky follower of my blog. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. I must have a way to contact you, so be sure to include your email address along with your comment. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Please leave a comment telling me why you would love to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on 9/11. I will notify the winner by email at that time.