Up At Butternut Lake

Sometimes the hardest thing for anyone to do is to move forward in a difficult situation like losing the love of your life when you least expected it. Even well meaning friends and family often times mean well with what they say, but it's still a bitter pill to swallow. Especially when you have a young son to put your best face on for. How do you find the strength to go on? Do you simply walk away from all those memories, your home, your friends? Or do you stay put and hope that one day it will hurt less than the day before?

For Allie Beckett, losing the only man she ever loved to a war on foreign soil seemed to occupy all her thoughts. Everywhere she looked, there were reminders of Gregg. Now she simply needed a break, a way to catch her breath. So she sold her home and moved into the families cabin on Butternut Lake. Was it the smartest decision she could make? For now, it was. Her son, Wyatt, needs to start over as well. He needs to realize that while his dad can't always be there he knows that he is watching over him in all he does from heaven. At first it was just Allie's cabin on the lake, but now she realizes she has a new neighbor, Walker Ford who manages the local boatyard.

Walker is dealing with his own issues with his failed relationship with Caitlin and dealing with his unresolved feelings of guilt and pain. She was the only women that he had wanted to make things work with even if the circumstances surrounding their marriage was left than perfect. But then again, that is what life has to offer. It doesn't come in cardboard boxes all wrapped up neat and pretty, more than likely it is an unexpected surprise in the making. Now he find himself drawn towards Allie as he spends time fishing with her son Wyatt and learning a bit about himself in the process. Something that he had never considered until he met Wyatt. Will they be able to forge a bond that will allow them both to heal from the pain of their pasts?

I received Up At Butternut Lake by Mary McNear compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I love the small town feel of the town of Butternut Lake that Mary has so beautifully created. From the warmth from Caroline and the coffee shop she runs while dealing with her own empty nest to Allie's best friend Jax she knew growing up spending her summers at the lake. Now that Jax is happily married, she too must come face to face with her past which may very well jeopardize the happy ever after life that everyone believes she has with her husband Jeremy and their four kids. It seems that everyone in this charming novel finds healing through helping one another realize that sometimes we all need to rely on others to help us move forward on our own. The death of a loved one, deception, a failed marriage, the darker parts of our past - all of these things can threaten the present and overshadow the future unless we can confront them head-on, and this is what each of these characters do in this novel. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and hope that Mary McNear will chose to add more novels with her characters from this novel in future books!

For more information about Up At Butternut Lake, Mary McNear or where to preorder a copy of this book which is slated for release in April of 2014, please click on the links below:

Up At Butternut Lake by Mary McNear

You can find Mary McNear on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Up At Butternut Lake, please visit William Morrow's website. 

• Series: The Butternut Lake Trilogy (Book 1)
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (April 8, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062283146
• ISBN-13: 978-0062283146
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches

Neutrogena Triple Repair Hair Products Review

Not too many people that I know have found a shampoo, conditioner or leave in product that does what it claims. Neutrogena's launched a new product line called Neutrogena Triple Repair which features a shampoo, conditioner and leave in product that is proven in 80% to mend split ends, strengthen brittle hair and protects from breakage for dull and damaged hair. But does it work? Here's what I discovered as a BzzAgent that sampled full size bottles of all three.

Neutrogena Triple Repair Shampoo. It claims to be clinically proven for 80% stronger hair.
PROS: Nice fragrance, great lather, safe for color treated hair, great size for travel
CONS: Small bottle size 8.5 oz for every day use.

Neutrogena Triple Repair Conditioner. 8.5 oz. for dull and damaged hair.
PROS: Great fragrance, coats hair well, very thick for a conditioner, rinses out well.
CONS: Have to use quite a bit to work effectively, and need to leave in for a few minutes to work. Once you rinse it out, hair still feels very dry.

Neutrogena Triple Repair Leave-In Treatment. 5.1 oz for dull and damaged hair.
PROS: Great fragrance, easy to apply.
CONS: Leaves hair feeling heavy and greasy, after drying hair still feels dull and lifeless.

Overall comments: I would have a difficult believing the claims of this product. As a 50-year-old woman with color treated hair, this actually made my hair feel worse. After using the product for 3 days, I hated the way my hair felt. It felt dirty and in need of re-washing in part based on the leave in product even though I used a very small amount. I could finger style it and it would stay. The only upside to this product line is that even though I have been losing quite a bit of hair due to breakage when I blow-dry it, I did notice not as much after using the product. I would also have a hard time paying for the product in such small containers So overall for me, this product rated a 1 out of 5 stars in my opinion. While the product may work to reduce breakage, if you aren't happy with the way your hair feels afterwards, it's not worth it..

I received these Neutrogena Triple Repair Product samples compliments of Neutrogena and BzzAgent for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

The Turning

What happens when a random collection of five ordinary people respond to God's calling from all over the United States? You gain the premise to the latest novel from best selling author Davis Bunn in The Turning. John Jacobs was simply an assistant manager for the Midwest depot of the nation's largest shipper of fresh produce but during a church service, he answered God's call to "Take the turning, and walk the unlikely road." For Alisha Seames, she lead one of the world's largest gospel choirs who were called back every single year to share in a gospel choir concert and she knew God has spoken to her, and that was a fact. After a lifetime of praying, it had actually happened, and she dreaded what was coming next. Because as soon as God had said, "Take the unlikely road," Alisha had known just exactly what that turn was. She didn't want to do it. She hated the very idea of what was coming next. But God had said He would meet her there. And that left her with no choice. None at all.

Jenny Linn had to make restitution with her parents before she could answer the calling. Not something easily done when both her and her father Richard Linn had iron wills and strong Chinese traditions of honor to your parents. Neither one wanting to bend to make things right between them, but this time, Jenny knew what God had called her to do. She was to restore the relationship with her parents because she would need them as allies in her walk of faith with Christ. Now drawn to New York, they will meet with John and Alisha in a coffee shop where they will connect with Ruth Barrett, wife of one of the great evangelists of the twentieth century. Since her husband's death, she had become well known in her own right, speaking and writing about Christians maintaining a strong prayer life. An olive skinned manYussuf Alwan from Damascus, introduced himself to the group as he told them he was drawn here by reasons that he didn't understand. And that he can only hope that it is my Savior's voice I've been hearing.

Now that God has called them together, He will begin to put a plan in place to work against the rising tide of corruption to stem from the media giant Mundrose Global Communications. It is a collection of businesses including its own television studio, movie studio, magazine company, advertising and marketing division, music recording company, book publishers and electronic gaming division. Now working with an idea that Trent Cooper has that will utilize all the divisions working together to create a new trend that will literally make them millions. It appeals to the generation Xers and Millennials who often lose interest in new trends after a short time, but this idea is guaranteed to last longer than anyone would ever dream possible. It is to simply instill a simple idea in their minds that Hope is Dead. Now is the time to take care of yourself at all costs and there is nothing anyone can do to stop this rising trend!

I received The Turning by Davis Bunn compliments of Edify Media Inc and River North Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This is a chilling look at what may in fact be our very near future if a mega corporation decides to take on Christianity and religion and garner the world's attention that we don't need God any longer. That bad things happen and God doesn't seem to care about anyone. Now working as one under the leadership of Trent Cooper, they gain momentum to take over the world by claiming our younger generation first and in doing so hope to crush the spirit of God's hope once and for all. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars and a Bible study will be available soon online at TheTurningBook.com.

For more information about The Turning, Davis Bunn or where you can preorder up a copy of this book today that is due for release on April 1, 2014, please click on the links below:

The Turning by Davis Bunn

You can also find Davis Bunn on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: River North; New Edition edition (April 1, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802411681
• ISBN-13: 978-0802411686
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

A Road Unknown

If she ever wants a future, she will have to return home to resolve the issues from her past. Elizabeth Bontrager had run away from home even though she was twenty-years-old. She needed a break from being the oldest of nine children and having all the responsibility of helping to care for her brothers and sister was simply more than could handle. It was rapidly changing her outlook on what marriage and having her own family should look like, and now it was the furthest thing from her mind. Even though she was still in her rumschpringe, a period of deciding whether she wanted to be baptized into the Amish faith or walk away, she figured out some distance is what is needed to help her decide.

Only she didn't plan on fate intervening on a bus headed for Paradise, Pennsylvania as Saul Miller took a seat beside her. She had no plans to have a conversation with him and simply wanted to be left alone with her thoughts, but Saul had other things in mind. He wanted to know what someone as beautiful as Elizabeth would leave home if she wasn't taking vacation or enjoying her rumschpringe the way most Amish do. It seemed to Saul that she was running away from something and he hoped he might convince her to let him help in any way he could. Even if it was simply sharing a Big Mac and fries on the bus to Paradise.

Elizabeth plans to stay with her English friend Paula who is attending college to become a nurse and has offered Elizabeth a place to stay. When Paula learns that Elizabeth can cook, the agree to deal where Elizabeth will do the cooking and Paula will pay for the groceries. Now all Elizabeth has to do is find a job in Paradise. But with limited skills working in a fabric store in Goshen, she isn't sure it will be that easy, until fate plays its hand again. She literally is given a job at a country store selling Amish products while Miriam goes on maternity leave for a couple months. Guess who her employer is? Yup Saul Miller. Now it seems God has more in store for Elizabeth and Saul as they realize that all roads to the future lie where God guides.

I received A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This is the first novel in the Amish Roads Series, from Barbara Cameron and I LOVED it. I always wondered if the Amish oldest girls often got tired of the weight of helping raise children and what would they do, how would they act. I think Barbara captured this very essence in Elizabeth's character. In no way was she disrespectful to her parents but simply looked for a breather to gain the right perspective. I love how Saul enabled her to see things clearly in the end and can't wait for the next novel in this series. I think it's going to be a favorite of mine. There is a readers discussion guide at the end along with a sneak peek at Crossroads, the next novel in this series. I personally give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about A Road Unknown, Barbara Cameron or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron

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

To read more reviews on A Road Unknown, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


Barbara Cameron is celebrating the release of A Road Unknown with a $200 Visa cash card giveaway and a fun "Amish Roads" Facebook party.
 

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card
• A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 27th. Winner will be announced at Barbara's "Amish Roads" Facebook Party on February 27th. Connect with Barbara for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, laughter, prizes, and more!

So grab your copy of A Road Unknown and join Barbara and friends on the evening of February 27th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 27th!

Prime of Life

"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." ~ Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)

If you're looking for an exceptional book that has just a little bit of everything tucked just inside the covers, humor, kindness, reflection, humility and a powerful message that ties them all together, than look no further than Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam. The is a treasure just waiting to be discovered and I promise you, that you will NOT be disappointed when you get to the end.

It takes place at Heritage Gardens, a retirement home for seniors where we meet our main character, who simply goes by the name of Ben. He works as a janitor not only as a way to earn a living but to escape his past that refuses to stay in the past. When one of the retirees, the Professor, discovers that Ben used to be a doctor, he sets out to discover just why Ben would give up a high paying career saving lives to spend it cleaning toilets for a bunch of old folks.

Soon you will find that in Heritage Gardens, humor abounds in the unlikeliest of places. Frank and Marvin have grown up trying to out do each other since they were children and it hasn't changed now that they reside in the same senior home. It's a never ending job for Ben cleaning up each others messes as each one tries to get back at the other. When a younger woman named Betty Boestra, who been nicknamed Betty Boop, moves into the home, suddenly Frank and Marvin try to out do one another seeing who can attract her attention first.  The elderly ladies in the home, spend their time gossiping about Betty or spend their time in the beauty shop trying to look better for all the men who suddenly seem interested in the newest resident.

It's really to story of Ben that readers will find themselves drawn to as Ben becomes a bit of an obsessive compulsive person addicted with numbers, especially prime ones, and everything he does revolves around how many tiles he walks over to how many steps he takes getting from one place to another. It all has to end in a prime number. He refuses to wear anything with zippers and even his striped polo shirts or ties, have to have a prime number of stripes or he won't buy them. Yet along the way, you can't help but be drawn in to Ben's past and how it will soon resurface in a way he never imagined and his life will become full circle.

I received Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam compliments of Worthy Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I love how this story concludes and probably the highlight for me when you see how it all comes together kinda of like a hidden treasure. What you don't realize is the whole time, clues are being given which you miss until the end. It's then you have that "Aha!" moment and discover what the whole thing has been about. Truly a brilliant author who uses his god-given talents without being overly religious to get his meaning across in an unforgettable way. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars for this heartwarming debut novel that feels a bit like Grumpy Old Men meets Cocoon! The best part is proceeds from his writing go to help fund his activities in developing countries as he works to bring cataract surgery to the needlessly blind!

For more information about Prime of Life, P.D. Bekendam or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam

You can also find P. D. Bekendam on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Prime of Life, please visit Worthy Publishing's website. 

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (February 4, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1617952273
• ISBN-13: 978-1617952272
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches

Bounce Back

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." ~ Albert Einstein

Most women desire to be women of faith, with spiritual depth and maturity, but how can you do that when dealing with pain, anger, sadness, discouragement, hopelessness and desperation? Why can you find encouragement while life hands you a truck load of lemons? How do you push past the emotions that are longing to keep your bound to your current lot in life when all you want to do is leave it all behind and move forward?

How do you overcome dealing with a spouse that has walked away from your marriage, leaving you a single mom with responsibilities of dealing with bills, the house, kids and going back to work?

How do you deal with losing someone you loved to death or disease when you know God could have healed them?

How do you push past the pain from abuse in your childhood that happened decades ago and now are having to confront the nightmares and emotions even though you thought you left it all behind?

How do you deal with a spouse that has walked away leaving you holding the bag while they move on with a women half your age and now years later he wants your forgiveness while you are still holding on to the bitterness and resentment?

How do you deal with the fifth miscarriage in your life while hoping to fill your home with the sounds of a family and children and are now told you can't have any more?

Do any of these terms describe you or perhaps all of these?

• Overstressed

• Overworked

• Underappreciated

• Underpaid

• Burnt out

If you are like most women, you can lay claim to one or more of these terms even if you don't want to. Most of us simply don't know how to break out of being burdened, in bondage or carry emotional baggage that is too heavy for one person to carry. We realize we are broken but don't know how to fix it.

We want to be set free, to break out and to bounce back!

That is the reason for the book, Bounce Back from Julie Clinton, that has been written to show you how you can not only break free but to bounce back and see your life from a completely different perspective, using stories she has gained from women going through those very things mentioned above. She shows you how to have hope again. That God does love you and He wants a better life for you. He does have a way for you to move from where you are, to the better life of your future and that you can bounce back from what has been holding you back.

I received Bounce Back by Julie Clinton compliments of Worthy Publishings for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. I think every woman at some point in her life can look back and see times where her own set backs have held her back more than she wanted. Julie's book not only shows you that God is with you every step of the way, but through the stories she shares of what other women went through and got through, you can share in the hope we can bounce back and move forward through our circumstances no matter how difficult. They are all 100% survivable! I easily give this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Bounce Back, Julie Clinton, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Bounce Back by Julie Clinton

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

To read more reviews on Bounce Back, please visit Worthy Publishing's website. 

Hopeful

Webster's dictionary defines hopeful as exciting hope; promising advantage or success and in her latest series, Return to Sugarcreek, Shelley Shepard Gray does just that for two remarkable characters in her book Hopeful. Miriam Zehr wants to have hope. Being twenty-five among the Amish and without any romantic aspects in her future, she is considered a bit of an outcast by both friends and her family. That make Miriam all the more subconscious about being a little overweight and not the prettiest young woman in her opinion. In fact, no one has ever given Miriam a passing glance. She finds solace in working as a waitress and baker at the Sugarcreek Inn, but even there she comes up short, she can't even make it to work on time. It's a good thing she is such a great baker and hard worker or she would have lost her job awhile ago. But something has to change for her.

When Junior Beiler arrives at the Inn and asks to meet with Miriam at her house after work, she finally feels that God is about to answer her prayers. She thinks Junior has come to court her! She has had her eye on Junior for quite some time and is finally willing to believe something good is coming her way. Even her parents are thrilled to hear that Junior is making plans to come to the house to talk to Miriam, However, when Junior arrives all he wants to know is if Miriam can help set him up with her best friend Mary Kate. In one instant, all her hopes and dreams are dashed in pieces. Yet Miriam will never let anyone know that she set herself up believing for one minute that Junior was interested in her and plays it off in front of her parents and Junior. To Junior, she is willing to be that "friend" he needs to get to Mary Kate, but she can't let her parents and family think that Junior doesn't want to court her, so she begins to live a double life of sorts, not being honest to anyone but most of all not even herself.

Judith Graber has learned after her last miscarriage that she can no longer have any babies and she wonders just what kind of wife can she be to Ben, if she can't give him the family he has wanted. No matter how much Ben assures her that his only concern is for her to get better, no amount of love seems to be enough for Judith to come to terms with only being a wife to Ben and not a mother of his children. She's isn't even willing to consider adoption. Knowing many women who have lost babies, she believes she might find the answer with another doctor, but what if this is the choice God has in store for her, to remain childless. Can she live with that fact forever?

I received Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Avon Inspire for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I found myself relating to Miriam's character quite a bit, willing to put her true feelings on the back burner to make everyone else happy. She is undoubtedly a people pleaser. I can see her struggle with her own self image and when things don't work out the way she likes, it seriously affects her self esteem. She finds herself second guessing herself at virtually every turn. I see so much of myself in Miriam's character, I felt like Shelley was writing about me. For me, this was one of the closest character parallels I've ever come across in a novel. It was like watching myself in this novel. I love how it turned out, and I won't give this one away, but trust me you'll want to check this one out. I personally give this a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Hopeful, Shelley Shepard Gray, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can also find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Hopeful, please visit the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour Page.

Welcome to the blog tour for Hopeful, the first book in Shelley Shepard Gray's new series, Return to Sugarcreek. Critics have already given their thumbs up for Hopeful: “Lovable characters and a good story, full of romance and suspense . . . a must read." (Library Journal)

Enter to win one of FIVE copies of the book. 

Five winners will receive:

• Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 23rd. All winners will be announced February 24th at Shelley's blog.

Enter today and be sure to visit Shelley's blog on the 24th to see if YOU won one of the books!