Devotion

In a marriage there are a lot of issues for a husband and wife to deal with. Having their faith in God is a great foundation to have. However with all the challenges the world has to offer, even our faith can be tested in ways we would never consider crossing the line for. We often think we are strong enough in our faith to handle anything the world would throw out there, confident we would pass the test with flying colors. But that is our weakness, thinking we can remain unscathed from temptations even in the strongest marriages who seem to be completely ground in their faith in God.

In the novel Devotion by Marianne Evans, a marriage between Kellen and Juliet Rossiter will be tested by fire. It was Kellen's job that drew Juliet to fall in love with him. As a music agent for Associated Talent, Kellen's goal in life is to get to the point where he can manage Christian artists. So it isn't unusual to find him in the latest hot spots and clubs trying to find the next top performer for his company. At times Juliet has accompanied him, but knowing after nine years how these meetings generally go, Juliet has developed her own interests working with the homeless at the local shelter as part of an outreach for her church.

Juliet and Kellen know that after nine years they wouldn't always spend their free time with one another, after all the time trying to have a family of their own, nothing seems to have for them. Tests after tests show that both of them are able to conceive but for whatever reasons it just hasn't happened despite all the questions from family at every event wondering just when they planned on having a child. No one really knew the struggle that they both faced when posed with that question. But when Kellen is asked to seek out the next big thing at a club called Iridescence, he wasn't planned for the detour his life would take when Juliet opted out this time. But it only takes an act of infidelity to result in a lifetime of forgiveness and their marriage will be tested in the worst way possible.

I received Devotion from Marianne Evans compliments of Pelican Book Group and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. Aside from a complementary copy of the novel to review I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained here are my own. This is such a brilliant novel because of its transparency in dealing with the subject of infidelity in a marriage. It rates right up there with Karen Kingsbury, as it takes an indepth approach at the foundation that the Rossiters build their marriage on and just how subtle temptation can be. It doesn't start with something big, but those little nuances that happen when we think we can handle ourselves instead of listening to God. You can feel for each of them in this situation from the anger that Juliet feels to the heart-wrenching pain Kellen has to contend with when Juliet insists on moving out.

For me the biggest take away is one I shared with my husband. Is that temptations are subtle and there are so many opportunities for us to leave the situation but we don't. In marriage there will come times when we are all tested and undoubtedly mistakes will be made that will inflict pain into each other's heart. The point is not trying to get back what you had before, it's building on what you have moving forward. What an "A-ha!" moment that was. Too often we try to fix things wondering why we can't go back to before those hurts, and it results in frustration on both spouses wondering where they are going wrong. They aren't. As long as they are moving forward building on what they have, that is the success in moving past those situations and hopefully have the outcome that Kellen and Juliet Rossiter have. The best part is seeing it from a third parties eyes and realizing how quickly something like that happens when we least expect it. No one is immune. This one is not only a must read but a must keep on your bookshelf and thus the reason why I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Devotion, Marianne Evans, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Devotion by Marianne Evans

You can also find Marianne Evans on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Devotion, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance's book tour page. 

To strengthen your marriage, check out some tips and resources at imdevoted.com

Tempest's Course

Kelly Frost is hoping to find the one job that will be enough to pay for her expenses and keep her head above water. When she finds herself in New Bedford at the Gray House, she begins the close examination of the vintage mariner's compass quilt that is in desperate need of restoration. Kelly is hoping that she will be able to make the bid on the restoration high enough to compensate her for the time and energy she will need to repair this quilt but also low enough not to outbid her chances. Fortunately for her she gets confirmation that she has won the right to this project. The only criteria she didn't plan on was the proprietor wants to quilt to remain in the house while the restoration is completed. They will allow her to move in and use the home for the length of the project.

Now if Kelly can only put her past behind her and continue to work on building her business after her failure with her recent breakup of a curator of a large museum. Turns out while he was romancing her, he failed to let on that he was married. Now placed in a precarious situation, she is in competition with his ex-wife in the very same industry of textile restoration. It seems that sometimes in life, you can't escape your past no matter how much you try to begin again.

Tom Pereira is the groundskeeper for the Gray House and has been asked by the foundation Firstborn Holdings, LLC,  to keep an eye on Kelly Frost. Even though she has passed the background, something in her character references if off and causes the owner concern. But Tom has his own demons that are haunting him about his past. He never can seem to measure up to the standards his father had wanted for him. giving up attending college and instead enlisting in the service was Tom's choice, his father felt the choice was the wrong one to make. Now plagued with seizures, Tom only hopes to get through this project and find a way to keep his own head above water. But with the downsizing in the economy, it seems like all his contacts are coming up short. Hopefully his job at Gray House will be enough.

I received Tempest's Course by Lynette Sowell compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Abingdon Press for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. Being a huge lover of quilts and occassionally trying my own hand at quilting, I know that most carry a story locked away in the fibers much like the Mariner's Compass Quilt does that Kelly Frost works on. Toggling back between an old journal she discovers from the quilts owner, she discovers that some secrets carry a great sacrifice and will one day shine the light on what the meaning of redemption really means. This is the 13th book in the Quilts of Love series and one I rate a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I've had the pleasure of reading almost all of them and each is truly their own work of art between the pages of the authors that have written them.

For more information about Tempest's Course, Lynette Sowell or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Tempest's Course by Lynette Sowell

You can find Lynette Sowell on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Tempest's Course, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tours. 

• Series: Quilts of Love (Book 13)
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (December 17, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426752768
• ISBN-13: 978-1426752766
• Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 7.3 x 9.5 inches

A Soul Less Broken

There are two things in the world that I would consider God's great gifts and that is love and friendship. You are a blessed person once you have the opportunity to experience the best of both of them in your life as some never experience them at all.

Catherine Wilcox has endured her fair share of storms in her life. Probably more so than we would ever experience in our own life time. Both of her parents died early in her life, with her mom passing later than her father of emphysema but not before she learned why her father never showed her much love. He had been having affairs while still married to her mom and was preparing to divorce her until he learned she was pregnant. Not wanting to look like a heel, he stayed but secretly despised Catherine and her mom until he died.

As Catherine studied to become a lawyer, she found herself in the law library late one night, wanting to impress her new potential employers, and upon exiting the building was brutally attacked, raped and left for dead. Rushing her to the hospital, she is cared for by Dr. Alan Peterson who realizes that this woman means more to him than just being his patient. He is about to discover his soul mate.

Now as Catherine begins to battle the demons of what happened to her, she finds solace in her crisis counselor, Madeline Jessops who will help her find a way to heal and in the process teach her how to love again.



In the debut novel, A Soul Less Broken by Helen Laibach, the reader is taken on a very emotional journey in dealing with tragedy, heartbreak, healing and restoration in the life of Catherine, Alan and Maddie. It's a such a wonderful lesson in how God can take the most broken places of our life and make them whole again if we are only willing to let Him. You will not be disappointed in this beautiful story.

I received this book compliments of Helen Laibach and Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review and this was such an inspirational and uplifting book for me. I can easily give this a 5 out of 5 stars and a must read for anyone looking to find the bright side to any circumstance they feel is simply beyond their reach to heal.

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

A Soul Less Broken by Helen Laibach

You can also find her on Facebook by clicking here.