Cafè Escapes - Product Review

What is your favorite way to escape? Some would say to fly away to a deserted island or simply a chance to do nothing all day, however few of us actually can do this. I've come across a simply easy way to take a break in the middle of a busy day, and incorporate something soothing such as a nice hot beverage and dessert all in one.

Introducing, Cafè Escapes for your Keurig!!! There are six different varieties to choose from, Chai Latte, Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa, Dark Chocolate Cocoa, Cafè Vanilla, Cafè Caramel or Cafè Mocha. These are best enjoyed when brewing in your Keurig using the 8oz option, but since I love a larger cup of anything, I opted for the larger cup. The best part is that they are only 70 calories of warm liquid enjoyment.

You can find these at your local retail stores or grocery stores everywhere and you can learn more online at CafeEscapes.com, GreenMountainCoffee.com and Keurig.com.

Since this arrived in the mail yesterday, we were anxious to try them and each member of my family grabbed their favorite. I opted for the Cafè Caramel, my hubby opted for the Cafè Mocha, and my youngest took the Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa. Since the Keurig makes it so easy to make all these with little fuss, it was fun to sample them all. My daughter commented that the Milk Chocolate tasted so creamy that it seemed like it was made with hot milk instead of simply the hot water in the Keurig machine! She gives it a thumbs up and when I asked her to rate it on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, she gave it an 11!

My opinion of the Cafè Caramel was simply delicious. Besides the enticing aroma that smells delicious, the flavor was buttery and sweet just like I had personally melted caramels right into a hot cup of coffee. My rating a perfect 10!

Hubby tried the Cafè Mocha and said it was fine but preferred his traditional white chocolate blend over all. He commented that it was a bit bitter, but remedied that with a touch of sugar in his cup!

Over all, my family gives this a wonderful rating and since we are out of our samples, we will be using our $2.00 off coupons to pick up our favorites! With snow coming this weekend, I can't think of a better way to spend a little family time together with our favorite hot beverages!! It truly is like drinking your favorite dessert in a cup!

I received Cafè Escapes compliments of BzzAgent for my honest review and have already restocked my pantry with our favorites. These hands down for my family rate a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in our book!

Redeeming Grace

The one thing I've come to realize in life is that you can't outrun your past. No matter how much you try to hide it, unless you confront it head on, it will find you especially when it comes to politics. There is always someone willing to dig into closets to find the skeletons we kept in our past to bring them to light once again. In other cases, people will use such skeletons to blackmail people into accomplishing their own agendas and without involving themselves in it personally.

In the latest novel, Redeeming Grace by Ward Tannenberg, he uses these elements to create such a mind boggling story you can't help but wonder just how much of this could be used even today to create a master puppet show involving our own government leaders. While they receive the blame for the decisions they make, the rest of us refuse to accept the fact that they could be blackmailed into performing atrocities. We don't see the real show going on behind the scenes.

Such is the case with Grace Grafton, the main character in Redeeming Grace. Grace is the catalyst that ignites the firestorm of controversy and shows how things can escalate quite innocently and yet all are tied together. Grace was part of a controversy that happened seven years ago. She and two of her friends, Ilene and Bonnie Jo were hired as escorts to simply provide conversation and act as female dining companions for some high level political men at a dinner party. However when they arrive and things are not as they should be, it becomes apparent that the men have more on their minds then simply dinner. Things turn ugly and soon Grace has to flee for her life. It's a secret she has kept hidden this long because those high level political men are now in the running for president and vice president and they know that Grace is the wild card they need to gain control of.

I received Redeeming Grace by Ward Tanneberg compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas for my honest review. The story is exceptional once you ignore some of the inconsistencies that you may come across. In one scene Ilene is referred to as Irene and you find yourself stopping and wondering what just happened. In other places in the book, paragraphs and sentences repeat themselves one after another as if this book made it to publishing without a good and thorough edit. However, taking that all aside, this is an incredible book. It engaged me after about the 7th chapter due to the introductions of all the characters taking place at the beginning of subsequent chapters and then a vague prologue makes you wondering how it all connects. But trust me when I say, stick with it! It's so worth it and caught me staying up way to late to attempt to finish it. It was that hard to put down. It felt like a blend of Ransom and Taken mixed together to create a great suspense thriller that you wonder how it will all turn out. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Redeeming Grace, Ward Tanneberg, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Redeeming Grace by Ward Tanneberg

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

You can also read more reviews on Redeeming Grace from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour by clicking here. 

Secretly Smitten

Welcome to Smitten, Vermont!!! Where romance is once again the air with many more couples bound to find love in surprising ways when they least expect it. Renown authors Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter each take a turn charming our romantic hearts once again in four very different stories that are interwoven into each other, in the novel, Secretly Smitten.

In Love Between the Lines by Colleen Coble, she introduces us to the first of the Thomas family women, Tess who runs the towns charming bookstore. She believes that there is no way the handsome and now eligible single father, Ryan Stevenson would ever fall for a plain old girl. After losing his beautiful and rich wife earlier and is now raising his young daughter Sophie alone, he finds solace and peace in Tess' girl next door personality who isn't afraid to just be herself. Can Ryan find a special love interest with Tess?

Make Me a Match is the second story by Kristin Bellerbeck, who takes on the love life of Zoe Thomas, the youngest of the Thomas daughters who dreams of opening a match making service in town when the new business falls under the scrutiny of the new City Manager, William Singer. Will sparks fly between them or her building with faulty wiring?

Knit One, Love Two by Diann Hunt, introduces us to the matriarch of the Thomas daughters where we meet Anna Thomas, mother to Tess, Zoe and Clare, as well as the owner of Sit N Knit. She finally meets what could be the man of her dreams, Michael Conner. Little does she know he lives next door caring for his mother, Emma who has been diagnosed with cancer. Will love find them when they least expect it?

Love Blooms by Denise Hunter wraps up the love interest for Clare Thomas who truly believes love will remain elusive for her and her predictable and often boring ways. Just when even finding prospects at her sister, Zoe's match making business seems to come up short, she thinks her own company will be in raising plants and flowers for the town. While putting away tools one evening she comes across a homeless man, Ethan Foster, who will show her that love will often show up in the unlikeliest of places.

I received Secretly Smitten by these four talents authors compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review. The common thread woven into all four of these romance stories is the mystery of what happened to the long lost love of their grandmother, Rose who learns that the man she believed was MIA is found thanks to the efforts of her granddaughters who believe that it's never too late for a lost love. A delightful series that takes readers into the little romantic town of Smitten and teaches us all that love can be found if we are willing to be open enough to let it find us. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see what else these four talented authors will come up with next. Little by little we are slowly meeting each of the town's residents through each of these delightful books. While this book is the sequel to Smitten, you can read this one as a stand alone book but trust me, you'll want to get lost in all the love that this small town seems to have in big doses.

For more information about Secretly Smitten, Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter

You can find each of these talented authors on their Facebook pages by clicking below:

Colleen Coble
Kristin Billerbeck
Diann Hunt
Denise Hunter

You can also find more reviews on Secretly Smitten from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour by clicking here. 

The "gals" are celebrating the release of Secretly Smitten with a fun Live Webcast on February 5th. They'll be debuting the *NEW* animated Smitten trailer, giving away tons of prizes, dishing on the book and their friendship. They'll also be wrapping up the Secretly Smitten blog tour, answering audience questions and testing your trivia skills. Don't miss the fun and bring your friends. Click here to RSVP and set up a reminder.

The Aviator's Wife

Being a huge lover of history we all know there are supporting characters that elevated those people to the positions they achieved as they made their way into the history books and it's their back stories that make for some interesting reading. We all know about Charles Lindbergh, the man who made his first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927, but we know so very little about his wife, Anne Morrow. If you understand anything about the decade in history up to this point, you should understand the role of the wife was to be supportive and to never really air her opinions about anything to anyone. Most of those conversations were usually conveyed in confidence.

So with that understanding of what Anne's role in a marriage would have been we know in history that women's rights were a hot topic and had been on the minds of women everywhere as they pushed forward to find a voice in the things in the world. This is apparent even in Melanie Benjamin's novel, The Aviator's Wife. Anne Morrow is a smart and successful women in her own right, but her husband Charles cautions her to make sure that he remains the center of focus on both the public and private eye. Many women readers may be put off by that fact, but again historically it was the accepted role for most women to remain silent and supportive. It doesn't mean she didn't have opinions, just wasn't able to voice them the way we do today.

I think Anne retained her fantasy of marriage in the fact that she was marrying a successful man with a certain celebrity like status. It made certain aspects of their life easier, but also eliminated the privacy that both of them at times would like to maintain. Anne often times feels like the proverbial doormat by her husband's consistent treatment to her to keep her in her place and in her role as a wife and mother. It does take the reader into the real story of Anne's struggle to deal with the changes not only in marriage but in society as well. It's a story of power, struggle, determination, and grace under fire and in the end, shows that in circumstances though the road may be difficult to travel, we can move forward if we simply have the determination to keep getting up and trying.

I received The Aviator's Wife compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Delacorte Press for my honest review and while I understood certain historical elements, mostly pertaining to Charles Lindbergh, I was delighted to get a sense of what it meant to be the wife of someone famous during those turbulent times in the 20's. I knew it wouldn't be an easy read and for someone to truly appreciate the story, you really have to understand the role of women back in those time periods. The story of how they dealt with the kidnapping and lose of Charles Jr. is heartbreaking, but again shows the determination of Anne to remain focused on keeping her marriage in tact despite all the odds that come their way. I easily rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Aviator's Wife, Melanie Benjamin or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

You can also follow Melanie Benjamin on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Aviator's Wife on the Pump Up Your Book Tours, please click here. 

Unbreakable

You've probably heard the phrase, "turn the other cheek," however is it possible to still turn the other cheek when the life of someone you love may be in danger? How long would you be able to remain passive even if your core religious beliefs were founded on those very principles. To not return violence with violence?

Yet in the small Mennonite town of Kingdom, removed from most of society to maintain those solid religious beliefs, the town suddenly finds violence has stepped inside the borders of the town. First with the burning of a church just on the outskirts of town and now when Hope Kauffman, has become the latest target of violence. She was returning home when a red truck forced her off the road in her buggy, but she was able to leap clear just in time. As the truck attempted to run her down again, she was saved by her answered prayer when Jonathan Wiese shows up in his truck and scares the driver off. Had it not been for Jonathan's quick actions, Hope might be dead.

Jonathan reminds her that the violence is growing towards those who hate Christians, burning churches, running drivers off the road and knowing that the people of Kingdom will not retaliate against them no matter how bad it gets. He advises Hope to please speak with the Elders of the church to see if there are so precautions that they can take to prevent the violence from getting out of hand. He offers to follow Hope back into town to her quilt shop, Kingdom Quilts but learns that not everyone is glad to see him, even if he did save Hope's life. Jonathan was a young man who moved to Kingdom with his family a year ago. He had immediately started sharing his ideas about reforming the Kingdom Mennonite Church and had caused some in the church to be upset with him and his beliefs. Her father was not at all pleased with the amount of time that Hope was spending with Jonathan even if they were only friends. Hope was engaged to marry Ebenezer Miller or Ebbie for short, but found herself wondering just what were her true feelings for Jonathan.

However will her father's opinions change now that Hope's life was threatened? Will he be able to stick with his foundational beliefs when the violence continues and the best they can hope for is praying for God's divine intervention? Is it possible to remain sincere to your religious beliefs and yet still protect those you love? All these answers are found in the latest novel, Unbreakable from Nancy Mehl's Road to Kingdom series. This is the second book in the series and can be read as a stand alone. Nancy's exceptional detail she pours into her characters will make you truly care about them as though you knew them personally and will make you want to go back to the beginning and read her first book, Inescapable.

I received Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. This is such an amazing novel because it shows how truly devoted some people are to their faith, despite the fact that the world around them is changing and they can't remain locked away forever without having the world intrude upon them. It takes you behind the scenes through the eyes of Hope Kauffman and teaches us that sometimes it's alright to question the things you have been taught instead of simply accepting them at face value. It makes them easier to hold onto and shows that often times compromise can be achieved without losing your foundations in the process. I proudly give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to the third book in this series coming soon. There is also a discussion guide included at the end that works perfectly for book clubs to enjoy this one as well.

For more information about Unbreakable, Nancy Mehl or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl

You can also stay up to date with all of Nancy Mehl's novels on Facebook. 

To read more reviews from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour for Unbreakable, please click here. 

Proof of Guilt

Sometimes in any criminal case it often appears open and shut. Meaning all the clues point to all the right people and it's simply a matter of connecting the proverbial dots to solidify the case. However in some, no matter how simply it looks to solve, but burden of proof may often times prove difficult or in some cases completely misleading. If you love a great mystery with a bit of twist to it and not too easy to solve, than I might suggest Charles Todd's latest novel, Proof of Guilt. This is the 15th book in his Inspector Ian Rutledge series and regardless of where you pick up in this series, they can all be read as a stand alone.

Ian Rutledge works for Scotland Yard in the 1920's and once again finds himself with a body without any identification. A proper gentlemen's clothing attires the body along with a gold pocket watch. The body appears to have been the unfortunate victim of a car accident, as the body appears to have been dragged to the location is now has been found in. Simple open and shut case right? Or does it merely appear that this is what the murderer wants the body of the man to look like. What is really going on? Who is this well dressed man? Why has his body been found in the street with no apparent markings around him that would show he has been dragged by a car? If he was the victim of a robbery, why does he still carry a gold pocket watch but missing his identification? Why hasn't anyone reported this man missing?

Ian Rutledge is a bit like your traditional Sherlock Holmes but with a modern flair. He finds himself bucking against the politics of Scotland Yard and his current supervisor while trying to solve this murder. The clues will lead our Inspector into a vast enterprise that begins just as the World War 1 is ending and businesses are still struggling to find a way to make money. It seems some of the wealthy business merchants would like to see this case simply go away and offer very little in the way of help for Inspector Rutledge. But just like Sherlock Holmes, he will not rest until he solves this crime. It truly is another page turner from beginning to end. Go ahead and try to solve this one before the end. Be warned however the evidence doesn't always point to the murderer.

I received Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins for my honest review. This is my third Inspector Rutledge novel and was super excited to once again lose myself in a mystery and ride along as Dr. Watson, trying to solve the case. In every single instance, you are completely caught off guard by the end, and realize that sometimes that path of clues you think are linked are merely clues to keep you guessing til the end. Another award winning novel in my opinion and a must read for fans of historical murder/mysteryies! I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next one to hit the presses.

For more information about Proof of Guilt, Charles Todd or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd

You can also stay up to date with all the novels from Charles Todd on Facebook.

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition edition (January 29, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062015680
• ISBN-13: 978-0062015686
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches

Goodnight, Brian ~ Review and Giveaway

Sometimes the very best advice anyone ever gives us comes from our mothers. It may be because they brought us into the world, they have insight no others have, or it quite possibly come from the unconditional love mothers have for their children and truly want nothing less than the best for them. In this case, a life lesson is materializing right before everyone's eyes in the life of a little boy name Brian Mauretti. When he was born his mother did every thing right for Brian and yet, God had another purpose in mind for Brian's life. His life would become something extraordinary and one that will inspire hope in all of us.

In the latest novel from best selling national author, Steven Manchester, Goodnight, Brian is an inspirational story of the determination and perseverance of Brian's grandmother, Angela DiMartino whom everyone lovingly refers to as Mama! When Brian is diagnosed with a brain disorder caused by a formula his doctor prescribed that prevented his brain from forming during his critical infant years, the doctors tell his parents that he will be forever disabled and will never walk or talk. While his parents absorb the devastating news, Mama, nonetheless refuses to accept that Brian will be any different from any other child. All he needs is love, and she has more than enough to give and incorporates the entire family in the plan to give Brian all the love he needs to prove every doctor wrong, including his own parents.

It truly is an inspirational book that teaches us all the lessons in perseverance, hope, faith and love and will forever change how you may look at your next darkest valley in your own life. I found myself highlighting so many of the seemingly simple lessons that Mama dispenses through her conversations and outings with her grandchildren. In one case Mama encourages Brian to learn to crawl and places him on a blanket with his favorite stuffed puppy far enough away to work for. After several failed attempts to move anywhere, one of the cousins tells Mama that its too hard for him and offers to move the toy closer. She tells Heidi, "Nonsense, it looks like he isn't getting anywhere, but he is actually learning about perseverance." There is more to that particular situation but I don't want to spoil it all for you by giving away Mama's best kept advice, but trust me, you'll want to know how it all turns out in the end.

Like most parents dealing with traumatic illnesses it creates a strain on the family and marriage which adds to the believability of making this story one you question whether it's based on fiction or a true story. It will move you to tears alongside the characters and have you truly cheering for Brian from the beginning. I think the best part about the book is it shows just how powerful love and faith can be when applied in the right doses in any situation. It provides hope in the darkest of places and one I can see passing along to people going through uncertain times in their own lives. This is one you will want to read again and again and keep on your own personal library shelf.

I received Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester compliments of Providence Book Promotions, Partners in Crime Tours, and The Story Plant for my honest review and have it now proudly added, even though it has been highlighted throughout on my personal library shelf. It is a story that each person will find their own treasure within its pages and one you'll find Mama's advice long remembered. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for something more than just a feel good story and instead want something that could in fact change your life forever for the better. A compelling 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and the second exceptional book I've had the opportunity to read and review by Steven Manchester. For more information about Goodnight, Brian, Steven Manchester, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester

You can also find Steven Manchester on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

Thanks to the generous folks at Partners in Crime Book Tours and Providence Book Promotions, they are generously giving away a copy of Twelve Months, Steven Manchester's first book to one lucky follower of my blog. Here's what you need to do to enter:

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

2. "Like" Steven Manchester's Facebook page.

3. Leave a comment below along with your email address and tell me why you'd love to win a copy. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The winner will be notified by email from Partners in Crime when the giveaway ends on February 9th. So don't forget, keep on leaving comments and tell your friends.