I'll Have What She's Having

When Harry Met Sally.

Sleepless in Seattle.

You've Got Mail.

Three iconic romantic comedies that may not have been such a huge hit when they were first released in theaters noting the competition among movies released at the same time, but these three movies are the ones that most women will often tell you they love. They are the ones they can watch over and over again. We have our favorite lines or moments from each film that makes them unforgettable. At the time they were in the works, female directors were almost as extinct as dinosaurs and when someone like Nora Ephron comes along, she will face not only harsh criticism from her fellow male directors, but also writers too! Romantic comedies are one of the hardest things to direct and write a screen play for. There has to be the perfect mix of comedy and chemistry between the lead actors.

In the book, "I'll Have What She's Having," by Erin Carlson, we get a sneak peek not only into the making of these fabulous movies but also into what it took to breath life into them and make them the legacy movies women still love even today. This book takes you into the lines made famous by each movie including the title of the book from When Harry Met Sally. In fact if you are a fan of any or all of these movies, you will absolutely adore this book. Readers will learn what actors were going to play the parts but at the last minute gave them up. How very different these movies would have been had they not been played by the originals. You'll learn how hard it was to find a houseboat to shot Sam's house in Sleepless in Seattle. Did you know that the roof top scene on top of the Empire State Building wasn't even shot on location?

In You've Got Mail, you will learn that Fox Books was filmed at an iconic Barnes and Noble, and that the construction scenes are from those very days of building the store, even though the close up shots were filmed on a studio backlot. You learn that The Shop Around the Corner was just another storefront on 106 West 69th Street for Maya Shaper Cheese and Antiques that they were about to use and repaint while filming all the outdoor shots of the bookstore. You'll learn that AOL did not originally coin the phrase "You've Got Mail" until the movie went into production and someone else did it for them so that they could have it. There is just so much wonderful information gleaned from this book that fans will want to pick it up. Be warned, however, it might just be followed up with watching all three movies back to back like I did!

I received I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson compliments of Hachette Book Groups. This is such a must have book for fans of any or all three iconic romantic comedies. There are the famous lines we all love to quote and perhaps my all time favorite was from You've Got Mail, "Don't you just love fall in New York? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." While there were many great moments, the book does end with the tragic death of Nora Ephron who passed away June 26, 2012 but she left behind a world full of strong women characters, hope and a whole lot of love. I easily give this book a 5 out out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about I'll Have What She's Having, Erin Carlson or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson

You can find Erin Carlson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on I'll Have What She's Having, please visit TLC Book Tour's Page

The Promise of A Letter

Could the promise of a letter really get the lives of the Raber men to change forever? Seeing as there is so much division between the two, especially when Roman, the youngest, decided to up and leave the Amish community in Birch Creek, Ohio without ever saying goodbye. No note. Nothing. Now that he's been trying to live among the English and get into college as an Engineer, he receives word that his grandmother has passed away. The one and only person who really was family to him. She died. He wasn't there. Is it possible to go home again?

Roman wasn't sure what to expect when he packed up what little he owned and headed by to Birch Creek. All he knew was that he needed to see his grandmother's grave and tell her how sorry he was for not being there for her. Perhaps things might have had a different outcome. Perhaps even today, she might still be alive. He just didn't expect to see his father while standing at her grave. He said nothing in passing. No expressions on his face. He just handed Roman a letter and walked away. It was a letter from his grandmother. One last request. That he reconcile with his brother Daniel and then he could do whatever he needed to do with his life. But Daniel got the same letter in regards to the terms of reconciling with his brother, he just never expected to see him back so soon. But it was the one thing both brothers could do was to find a way to fulfill their grandmother's request, but it might take an act of God to heal the bitterness and pain inside them both.

Leanna Chupp went against what most people might think for an Amish woman. She didn't cook. Couldn't cook. Wasn't good with sewing or any of the household tasks most would expect. In fact she left her house pretty much the way she did every single day. Bed unmade, dishes in the sink, and time to do that later. At almost six feet, she didn't look like most Amish women either, but her family loved her for what she was. Talented at anything with a motor or moving parts. Thankfully her father raised her to do what she loved and she had a great job working for Daniel Raber, until he fired her. Without explanation. She would later learn that some of the elder ladies in the community had taken to gossiping about Leanna that she was having an affair with Daniel, since the two worked to closely together at his shop and often late into the evenings. While his wife Barbara never considered it, with being pregnant and hearing the rumors herself, she began to wonder. That is just the very reason that Daniel came to the decision even though doing this would put his business far behind getting the orders fulfilled.

I received The Promise of A Letter by Kathleen Fuller compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley. This is such a heartwarming novel of reconciliation and of unconditional love as the central theme. It shows us that we don't have to forget the pain, but with God's help we can move forward and let the healing begin. We don't need to understand the why's of doing it, and that is the question that Roman and Daniel are challenged with since their grandmother had passed, there was no way to ask anything of what lead to this decision to reconcile. However once the men have a chance to solve their own personal pain, can they begin to build upon the pain that pulled them apart and be honest despite the hurt it might cause to finally achieve resolution. I absolutely LOVED this novel and can't wait for what is coming next in this series from Kathleen Fuller. I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Promise of A Letter, Kathleen Fuller or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Promise of A Letter by Kathleen Fuller

You can find Kathleen Fuller on Facebook to stay on top of all her latest books.

To read more reviews of The Promise of A Letter, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

No Regrets

The one statement most of us dreads, is that we are dying. Perhaps dying before we have even had the chance to do some of those things we always thought we would have time to do. So what do you do when you get that kind of news, perhaps even personally, or a family member does? All of us wants to live a life so that when we look back, we can see it was a life well-lived. Filled to the brim. A life without regrets. Perhaps those that get that devastating news are the ones living their life to the fullest. Making every single moment count. Because in all reality they don't know when that last day will be. But doesn't it affect us all? No one knows when our last day might be. We might go without any warning or we might go over time.

How can you take the time right now to learn to make the most of your life. To love deeply and unconditionally. To let the past stay behind. Forgive those who have wronged you and for whom you still might be carrying resentment against. How to choose life. To choose joy. To choose love and live a life with no regrets! In Robin M. Bertram's book, No Regrets, she shares her own personal journey of her own death where she began to take an honest look at her life, do an inventory and change some of the things she wasn't content to spend whatever days left, doing. You will learn in this book, how to live every moment as if it were your last. To see things through a biblical perspective and live the way God would have you spend that moment in time. To see blessings instead of disappointments with the things that happen to us and most of all, to participate in a thirty day Love Challenge, which is something of an intentional challenge for all of us. To live like we were dying. How very different our own lives would be.

We have the opportunity NOW to look at our life and make a change. To live a life now without any regrets so when we are facing our final days, we can look back in satisfaction, knowing we lived our life well and hopefully lived it for Christ! It will change your life in ways that will express the importance of living today with greater joy while making every moment really count. It will encourage you to develop an intimate prayer life, to develop a willingness to forgive, to embrace every good gift you've been given with a thankful heart and to live your life to the fullest because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow. Through Scripture combined with the insight gained from real-life stories with victorious outcomes, No Regrets will encourage you to forgive, to love, to mend broken relationships, and to begin building a legacy now so that when that days comes, there will be a strong spiritual legacy to leave behind.

I received No Regrets by Robin M. Bertram compliments of Charisma House. This book will help you overcome those "If only..." moments, and using the Pillars of Abundant Living, scriptures that will give you comfort, wisdom, and insight during your own personal journey. The Intentional Living section at the conclusion of each chapter are several keys that will help you become more intentional in living your life for Christ and embracing today. The Shareworthy section are text boxes scattered throughout each chapter to expand on the ideas in this book that are worthy sharing on your social media platforms, and the 30-Day Love Challenge is a way to personally evaluate your own love walk on a daily basis for thirty days to get an honest picture of where you are and where you can grow. This is such an inspirational book and one that would be a great gift to anyone dealing with their own personal adversity. I love that this book can inspire us even now to take greater responsibility for the life we choose to live each day, and for that reason well worth 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about No Regrets, Robin M. Bertram or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

No Regrets by Robin M. Bertram

You can find Robin M. Bertram on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on No Regrets, please visit Charisma House Publisher's website. 

Here's Some Happy

I read on social media somewhere that someone believed that coloring books are dying out. Whether that is true or not, I love coloring. It is a way to pass the time. It allows me to slow down and take a moment to simply breathe, cast aside my worries for a moment and just allow God to speak to me as I color. While there may be a coloring book out there geared for just about everyone and their personal interests, I wanted to share one of my favorites. It is called Here's Some Happy by Gina Graham and it has something unique that most coloring books don't.

First of all, it is hard cover. That is perfect because you don't always have the perfect surface to color on and this make portability while coloring more manageable. I just love the weight of it too! It's solid, a reminder of what my spiritual life should be like. Within this coloring book are plenty of wonderful pictures to color, but also scriptures geared to spark a sense of personal prayer time while meditating on the coloring. This is the perfect time to just escape and get some alone time with God. I love putting on some upbeat praise or worship music while I am working on my pages. This coloring book is meant to be a prayer journal as well. Whether you choose to use a page for every prayer or simply a way of capturing something you feel God is laying on your heart, there is a perfect place to capture that.

When I was selecting my picture to color for this post, I happened upon the Psalm 4:8 "I will both lie down in peace and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." This is perfect for me, as I have been dealing with a horrible case of tonsillitis for three weeks and sleep has been skipping me. Not only that but with all the flooding in Texas, its a reminder that while I have a place to lay down that is warm and dry, many tonight don't. They have lost everything. But as children of God, we know that there isn't anything God can't do. He can move financial resources where they are best needed and even material things can be replaced. Perhaps it was His way of waking the world up to what is important in this life. Life. Not things. Not money. Not our jobs but those we love and who love us. This journal entry I made was my personal prayer for those in Texas, a reminder that we still serve a God who cares and has not left them. New days are coming and with it, the promises of His unfailing love and provision.

I received Here's Some Happy by Gina Graham compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups. This is such a great way to keep all those Scriptures, thoughts and prayers in one place and you can look back to see how God has answered those needs as He reminds us to stay faithful. There is something fun in this journal for everyone to enjoy. I could even see doing this with your children together and adding both of your prayers as a way of teaching them how to journal and use their creativity at the same time. What a great gift as well to someone who could use a little happiness in their life right about now. The pages are single sided so depending on the type of media you use, it might bleed through. I use Prisma Coloring Pencils so I had no issues. I would easily give this a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Here's Some Happy, Gina Graham or where you can pick up a copy of this coloring journal today, please click on the links below:

Here's Some Happy by Gina Graham

You can find Gina Graham on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Here's Some Happy, please visit Faith Words Website. 

The Cottingley Secret

Do you believe in fairies?

There are those that believe that just because you might have never seen them, doesn't mean they don't exist, even for those who have claimed to have seen them.

Until I picked up The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor, I had never heard of the Cottingley fairies and thus this is what excited me about this book. It is written in two time periods, one present day and the other a story read by the present day Olivia Kavanagh about the two young girls who played a prank that last more than 70 years. The story was written by Frances Griffiths in 1917-1924 which later became its own published work entitled Notes on a Fairy Tale. It would be published until many years later but it was the story of how Frances first found the fairies while sitting in a beck near a waterfall and caught them out of the corner of her eye. She knew without proof no one would believe her and like most 9-year-old girls at the time, she desperately wanted to tell her oldest cousin Elsie.

It was Elsie's idea to stage a stunt using her talented artistic skills in creating such life like details of fairies and stage a photo to look like Frances was interacting with them right in front of her. It was enough to convince her Aunt and Uncle as well as her own mother that fairies did exist and just outside their back door. For others in the Cottingley village it gave them hope at a time when the world was dealing with the war not knowing if husbands, fathers or sons would be returning. It is the very reason that Frances and her mother came to stay at the Cottingley cottage. To wait out the return of her father and husband from the war going on. Even well reknown Arthur Conan Doyle was convinced that the photographs of the fairies were proof they existed.

As Olivia Kavanagh takes over the inheritance left to her by her grandfather, an old bookstore with the name of Something Old, it is a place that draws a different life for Olivia. Believing that her future is already planned out with a future fiancè in London, she finds herself more drawn into the fairy story that she is reading bit by bit along with visiting her grandmother in a nursing home suffering from dementia whose time is very limited. She only hopes that in the weeks to come she can make headway to figure out how to make the bookstore profitable again and what to do with the blue cottage that her grandparents made a life together in. She is slowly running out of time, if only magic was real and the wishes of fairies could make it all better.

I received The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. This is such an enchanting book from falling in love with all the things you'd be expected to find in an old bookstore to the enchanted life of two girls looking for magic and hope in world filled with fear and uncertainty. I really LOVED this entire book and the way it toggled between the time periods drew me in even further. The details that follow in the author notes and the photos that captivated a world during the war really completed the entire story for me. It does beg to ask the question, do you believe in fairies? There are plenty of people on both sides that could argue their point very convincingly, but just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. For me, this one easily garners a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. There are some great insights and discussion questions at the conclusion of this novel that would make it a definite book club selection and one for my permanent shelf.

For more information about The Cottingley Secret, Hazel Gaynor, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

You can find Hazel Gaynor on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Cottingley Secret, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website. 

The Way To London

Sometimes you pick up a novel expecting one thing and get so much more. The Way to London By Alix Rickloff is one such novel. Set among the war that is just on the verge of breaking out, over indulged socialite Lucy Stanhope has followed in the ways of her promiscuous mother Amelia. It seems after her mother had given birth to Lucy, all she can do is find ways to hand her daughter off to a nanny or boarding school in order to fulfill her maternal expectations. But Lucy can see through all of that. As her mother bounces from one relationship to another, finding wealthy men who can serve her needs and fund her lifestyle choices, Lucy feels the consequences of those choices.

As the family heads to Singapore just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, her new stepfather expects something for funding all of Lucy's wild expenditures. After all he has no blood relation to her so he isn't about to be breaking any rules except infidelity to Amelia, but as long as the money keeps flowing, she isn't about to rock the financial boat. When Lucy is asked to distract a wealthy client of her stepfathers, things escalate to the point where they have asked that Lucy be removed back to London or risk the financial backing of the client to her stepfather. She doesn't realize what a blessing it might be in the long run.

So while heading back to London aboard a steamship they are torpedoed in the middle of the night on the eve of war, and she finds herself on a lifeboat waiting to be picked up and delivered back to London to live with her wealthy aunt. Unfortunately it will be a set of circumstances that will forever test her resolved that in the past has suited her needs but will she be able to temper her rash tongue that has always felt free to speak her mind regardless of the outcome. When she find solace in an American soldier she first met in Singapore, it seems like fate may have a role to play in where her future is heading even as war breaks out all around them.

I received The Way to London by Alix Rickloff compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. While this is such a riveting story, there are parts of the novel that readers should be cautioned about. There is a handful of profanity used as well as the promiscuous lifestyle of Lucy's that causes her to use men as she fits if they can benefit her. But the real story is the way she comes to resolve all the pain she has built up around her to protect herself from being hurt any further. I love her fiery grit and determination that keeps her from being a victim but also keeps her from also letting in anyone to love her as well. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars based on my own review guidelines and really enjoyed this one so much I read it in one evening.

For more information about The Way to London, Alix Rickloff or where you can preorder a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Way to London by Alix Rickloff

You can find Alix Rickloff on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Way to London, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website.

Forty Autumns

What would it feel like to make a decision in one moment that would forever affect your life for the next forty years? Imagine your family having to make that decision for you? To lead a life of freedom or one of tyranny and oppression. I believe more of us need to learn the stories from those who lived without freedom. A historical journey into Germany's blackened past where at one conjuncture to defy freedom, a wall went up to separate one region of Germany for another. For what reason? Could it happen again?

In the novel Forty Autumns by Nina Willner, she shares her grandparents history which undoubtedly became her own legacy of a tough choice they had to face when totalitarian leaders ran Germany the way they saw fit. All about control. Taking away from the people at the conclusion of WWII, Germany tried to find a way to rise to the top again. In a nutshell all it did was point the world's eyes to the atrocities it was trying to hide while saving face to the world. Families were separated overnight. While others tried to escape in droves, most were shot without any sense of compassion or empathy, believing the propaganda they were being spoon fed made it justified. Overnight the wall went up in hopes of preventing any more East Germans from fleeing the country. With it any viable means of labor went with it.

This is one families journey through forty years. How they survived against the odds. How they learned to accept what was happening in order to stay together even though they didn't agree with it. How they managed to save one daughters life in an effort to give them the truth that could only come from the outside world away from East Germany. How one patriarch of the family Opa, vowed to do whatever he could to keep his family safe and protected even if it went against everything he believed and how one matriarch, Oma was the driving support behind keeping the family strong and loved, well-fed and held together in a city of their own that was falling apart.

I received Forty Autumns by Nina Willner compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. I believe everyone needs to read this book, because it seems like our current nation is slowly striving to rewrite the history that needs to be told and shared, otherwise we will be doomed to repeat it. I clearly see signs in the works that this world might be headed to the very thing that should be left behind and that communism doesn't work. The power does not lie with the government but with the people. We need to know their stories and that is why this is such a critical book to be read and studied. I am horrified at the things we never studied in history. I guess to glaze over it in our history books in a very subtle paragraphs is an easy way to take out what should be known to those who faced it. These are the stories that should be shared. For this reason I am giving this book, a 5 out of 5 stars. There are some great historical notes following the book and some epilogues that highlight what happened later to those featured in the book. This has some amazing photos the author shares so you can honestly feel what it was like in those times.

For more information about Forty Autumns, Nina Willner or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Forty Autumns by Nina Willner

You can find Nina Willner on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest projects.

For more reviews on Forty Autumns, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website.