A Promise To Love | Serena B Miller | Book Review

A Promise To Love

by Serena B. Miller

{About This Book }

Can a marriage of convenience ever become one of true love? Ingrid Larsen arrives in Michigan in 1871 with little more than the clothes on her back and a determination.

Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, the young Swedish immigrant crosses paths with Joshua Hunter, a newly widowed farmer with eyes the color of the ocean she had crossed and five rambunctious children to raise on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and Ingrid finds herself proposing in broken English to a man she barely knows. Many difficulties lie ahead--but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

I absolutely loved this book! An unconventional love story where selfless devotion wins the day over blind loyalty to a dream, and where one young woman steadfastly chooses to believe God's truth about herself over the often scathing opinions of mere humanity, A Promise To Love offers a beautiful new perspective on what it means to love another person. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves a sweet historical romance with roots in the Christian faith.

{ About The Author }

Serena B. Miller is the author of The Measure of Katie Calloway and Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio, as well as numerous articles for periodicals such as Woman's World, Guideposts, Reader's Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and more. She lives on a farm in southern Ohio.

Connect with Serena on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of A Promise To Love for $10.19 here.

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and may differ from the opinions of others. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more on my PR and Disclosure pages.

With Every Letter | Sarah Sundin | Book Review & Giveaway

With Every Letter

by Sarah Sundin

{ About This Book }

As part of a morale-building program, World War II flight nurse Lt. Mellie Blake begins an anonymous correspondence with Army engineer Lt. Tom MacGilliver in North Africa. As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, they develop a deep friendship. But when they're both transferred to Algeria, will their future be held hostage by the past—or will they reveal their identities?

Lt. Mellie Blake is a nurse serving in the 802nd Medical Squadron, Air Evacuation, Transport. As part of a morale building program, she reluctantly enters into an anonymous correspondence with Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer in the 908th Engineer Aviation Battalion in North Africa. As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other's true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face to face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage to their past? And can they learn to trust God and embrace the gift of love he offers them? Combining excellent research and attention to detail with a flair for romance, Sarah Sundin brings to life the perilous challenges of WWII aviation, nursing, and true love.

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

With Every Letter is the first book in Sarah's new Wings Of The Nightingale series, set during WWII. Sarah Sundin once again marries the grand sweep of history to the fine detail of a faith based romantic novel, and this book is by far my favorite of hers to date!

The heroine struggles to relate to her fellow nurses, and with self-image issues. The hero hides the deep pain of a childhood full of rejection and misplaced blame behind a bright shiny smile. Both fear that no one could even look past their preconceptions to see the real person beneath...until an anonymous letter writing program designed boost troop morale brings them together at the heart.

The lies we tell ourselves are always more damaging than the lies others tells us about ourselves. Mellie and Tom learn this the hard way, almost missing the love of a lifetime in their individual quests for self-preservation. This is a story that will reach behind your masks, and poke you where it hurts. If you are honest with yourself, as these characters were in the end, you will likely come face to face with a little change of your own while reading this book.

I recommend this book, and all of Sarah's books, to anyone and everyone!

Be sure to check out my review of Sarah's previous book, Blue Skies Tomorrow, here.

{ About The Author }

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter, the first book in the Wings of the Nightingale series from Revell, and also the Wings of Glory series (A Distant Melody, A Memory Between Us, and Blue Skies Tomorrow). In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Sarah lives in northern California with her husband and three children. When she isn’t ferrying kids to tennis and karate, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies.

You can connect with Sarah on her website and Facebook.

Be sure to check out the interview I did with Sarah last summer, here.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of With Every Letter for $9.99 here.

{ Win This Book }

Sarah has kindly offered to give away a copy of her new book, With Every Letter, to one lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader! You must be a resident of either the United States or of Canada, and at least 18 years old to win this giveaway. Sarah Sundin will ship the book to the winner once they are confirmed (you will have 48 hours to respond to the winner's email or we will pick a new winner), and Our Little Bit Of Wonderful is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This offer VOID where prohibited by law.

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{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and may differ from the opinions of others. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more on my PR and Disclosure pages.

You Don't Know Me | Susan May Warren | Book Review & Author Giveaway

You Don't Know Me

by Susan May Warren

{ About This Book }

Sometimes the secrets we keep to protect ourselves can be our undoing.

To all who know her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses a sporting event, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.

No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the quaint harbor town of Deep Haven, Deidre received a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker.

Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on parole and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the courage to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

This is a Deep Haven novel.

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

Fast paced, with characters that are deeply flawed and entirely believable, You Don't Know Me is a story about the destructive power of lies - even ones born of necessity - and the astonishing power of forgiveness when found in Christ Jesus.

I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to anyone who likes modern fiction with timeless messages of hope and redemption.

Find out what others are saying about this book here. You can also read my reviews of Susan's books Heiress and Baroness here and here.

{ About The Author }

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning novelist of over thirty novels. A five-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award.

A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!.

Find out more about Susan May at http://www.susanmaywarren.com/.
{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of You Don't Know Me for $9.18 here.

{ Author Giveaway }

Welcome to the campaign launch for Susan May Warren’s latest offering in her beloved Deep Haven series, You Don’t Know Me. Susan is celebrating with a $200 Weekend Getaway Giveaway and hosting a fun video Author Chat Party!

 

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one and “Get to Know” your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The entire set of Deep Haven Books

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 22nd. Winner will be announced at the ”You Don’t Know Me” Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/23. Connect with Susan for an evening of book chat, Deep Haven trivia, and a live video chat! There will also be info about Susan’s BookShout read-along and a chance to win gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of You Don’t Know Me and join Susan on the evening of the October 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – 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 23rd!

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and may differ from the opinions of others. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. Learn more on my PR and Disclosure pages.

Inescapable | Nancy Mehl | Book Review & Author Giveaway

Inescapable

by Nancy Mehl

{ From the Book Cover }

Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return.

But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go.

Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she'll be safe until she comes up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its people--especially her old friend, Noah Housler--she wonders if she judged her hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran from is closer than ever.

No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run--to the Father whose love is inescapable. 

{ My Thoughts On This Book }

Inescapable is a fast paced story that touches on themes of judgement, forgiveness, consequence, and perception. Well written and engaging, it is a good story with compelling lessons that are delivered subtly, without being preachy. If you enjoy stories set in conservative Mennonite or Amish settings, you may enjoy this book.

You can read more reviews of Inescapable here.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of this book for $11.18 here.

{ About The Author }

Nancy Mehl, the author of 12 books, received an ACFW Carol Award in 2009 for her novel For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Wichita, Kansas, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com.

{ Blog Tour & Author Giveaway }

Celebrate with Nancy by entering her "Inescapable" Giveaway, to win a Handmade Mennonite Quilt, and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 7/26!

Find out what readers are saying here.

One winner will receive: A Handmade Mennonite Quilt A copy of Inescapable by Nancy Mehl Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 25th. Winner will be announced at the "Inescapable" Author Chat Facebook Party on 7/26. Nancy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills (how much do you know about the Mennonites?) and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of Inescapable and join Nancy on the evening of the July 26th for a chance to connect with Nancy 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 RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 26th!

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.

Lost In Shangri-La | Mitchell Zuckoff | Book Review

Title: Lost In Shangri-La

Author: Mitchell Zuckoff

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2012

Paperback: 432 pages

A true story of survival, adventure, and the most incredible rescue mission of World War II.

{ Synopsis }

Award-winning former Boston Globe reporter Mitchell Zuckoff unleashes the exhilarating, untold story of an extraordinary World War II rescue mission, where a plane crash in the South Pacific plunged a trio of U.S. military personnel into a land that time forgot. Fans of Hampton Sides’ Ghost Soldiers, Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor, and David Grann’s The Lost City of Z will be captivated by Zuckoff’s masterfully recounted, all-true story of danger, daring, determination, and discovery in jungle-clad New Guinea during the final days of WWII.

{ About The Author }

Mitchell Zuckoff is a professor of journalism at Boston University and a former special projects reporter for the Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting. His honors include the 2000 Distinguished Writing Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Christopher Award for his book Chosing Naia: A Family’s Journey, which was a Boston Globe bestseller. His magazine work has appeared in The New Yorker, Fortune, and other national and regional publications.

{ My Review }

I am not usually interested in reading documentary style books, but I have always found war history fascinating, so I decided to give this one a chance ~ I am glad I did!

Lost In Shangri-La is the riveting story of three individuals who survive a terrible plane crash into the side of a mountain in New Guinea, and a lengthy rescue mission into the heart of a previously unexplored valley. Facing tropical rainforest, severe injuries, warring natives rumored to be cannibalistic headhunters, and the daunting logistics of escaping a closed valley thousands of feet above sea level, the real life heroes in this book will inspire you.

This book is well worth the read.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of Lost In Shangri-La for only $15.33 here.

{ Win This Book }

The great folks over at TLC Book Tours are offering one lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader a copy of this book! All you have to do to enter to win is complete the mandatory entry in the Rafflecopter form below, be at least 18 years old, and be a resident of the United States or Canada. Only the first entry is required, but you can enter as many extra entries as you want by completing the other entries, too. Make sure you complete all requirements for each entry you claim, as I will verify the winning entry and if it is not done, that entry will be disqualified. Have fun, and tell your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in exchange for providing an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and a positive review was not required by the sponsor. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations.

Baroness | Susan May Warren | Book Review & Blog Tour

Lily and Rose, daughters of an empire coming of age in the roaring twenties, can have anything they want ... except freedom.

Expected to marry well and to take the reins of the empire, they have their lives planned out for them. But, Lily, Esme's daughter longs to return home to Montana, to adventure outside the confines of New York City. And Jinx's daughter Rosie dreams of the bright lights of the newly emerging silver screen. But following their dreams - from avant garde France, to Broadway, to the skies in the world of barnstormers and wing-walkers will take all their courage.

And if they find love, will they choose freedom or happily ever after?

Find out more from Behind the Pages: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/books/baroness

Baroness is the second book in The Daughters of Fortune series by Susan May Warren. I reviewed Heiress a while back (read my review here), and absolutely loved it!! This book was no different, and I cannot wait for the next installment to come out!

Picking up where Heiress left off, Baroness follows Rosie and Lily as they find their way in the new world created for them by their mothers' choices. Furious at being dragged from the family ranch she loves in Montana to live a sterile life in New York, Lily strikes out against her stepfather in the aftermath of her mother's death, and becomes a wing-walker in a traveling air show. Caught up in the heady adoration of all the men who surround her, Rosie seeks her fortune as a singer/dance on Broadway. Both girls run after their dreams - but what they find is more of a nightmare.

Dealing with themes of rebellion, cause and effect, and forgiveness, Susan May Warren pens yet another incredible story of humanity, and it is well worth the read!

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning novelist of over thirty novels. A five-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award.

A seasoned women’s events speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. 

She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. You can find her online at www.susanmaywarren.com.

You can purchase your own copy of this great book for only $10.48 here.

{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of providing an honest review. All opinions are my own. This review is in compliance with FTC Regulations.

Sixty Acres And A Bride | Regina Jennings | Book Review, Blog Tour & Author Giveaway

She's Finally Found a Place to Call Home... How Far Will She Go to Save It?

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. 

Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future. Read an excerpt: http://ow.ly/9sK2C.

Join me after the jump to read my review of Sixty Acres and a Bride, and learn how YOU can WIN a Kindle Fire and other prizes from Regina Jennings on March 27th!

Beauty For Ashes | Dorothy Love | Book Review, Exclusive Author Interview & Giveaway, Blog Tour & Author Giveaway

She’s a beautiful young widow. He’s a Southern gentleman with a thirst for adventure. Both need a place to call home.

After losing her husband in the Civil War, Carrie Daly is scared she will never have the family she longs for. Eligible bachelors are scarce in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, but Carrie has found love. Not the weak-in-the-knees kind, but something practical. Still, she isn't quite ready to set a wedding date with Nate Chastain.

Griff Rutledge is a former member of Charleston society, but has been estranged from his family for years. He’s determined to remain unattached, never settling in one place for too long. But when asked to train a Thoroughbred for an upcoming race in Hickory Ridge, he decides to stay awhile.

Despite objections from the townsfolk, and her fear that true happiness has eluded her, Carrie is drawn to Griff's kindness and charm. It will take a leap of faith for them to open their hearts and claim God's promise to give beauty for ashes.

Join me after the jump for my review of Beauty For Ashes, an exclusive interview with the author, an exclusive giveaway just for readers of Our Little Bit Of Wonderful, and info on how you can win a Kindle Fire and other prizes from Dorothy Love!

The Maid Of Fairbourne Hall | Julie Klassen | Book Review, Author Interview, Contest & Giveaway!

You are a young woman in a time when being a woman means you are utterly dependent on the men in your family. Your widowed mother marries a man intent on taking possession of your inheritance by any means necessary, and you have just learned that those "means" include getting his nephew to rob you of your innocence in the dead of night. No one will believe you if you tell them, and you are penniless. What do you do?

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch - both former suitors!

As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity a secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?

~ from the publisher

Join me after the cut for my review of this fantastic new book by Julie Klassen, an exclusive interview with the author, a chance to win some great prizes from her during her huge multi-blogger book tour - including a Kindle Fire - and a chance to win a copy of this great book right here on Little Bit Of Wonderful!

Blue Moon Promise | Colleen Coble | Book Review & Author Giveaway

A love like Lucy and Nate's only comes along once in a blue moon...

Lucy Marsh's worldly resources are running out, but she's fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father's recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he'd marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh - a city girl - on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he'd give anything to protect Lucy and the children he's grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

~ from the publisher 

********************

I loved this book!! Colleen Coble has been writing for a while, but this was my introduction to her work, and I'm so glad I took the plunge! Written in an easy flowing style that engages the imagination and pulls you into the story, Blue Moon Promise is well worth reading.

Sweeter Than Birdsong | Rosslyn Elliott | Book Tour & Author Interview & 2 Giveaways!

Sweeter Than Birdsong is the second book in The Saddler's Legacy series, which follows the lives of the Hanby family, real life heroes from Westerville, Ohio. You can read my review of the first book in the series, Fairer Than Morning, here. In this second installment of the series, we meet Ben Hanby (son of Will Hanby and Ann Miller from the first book) and Kate Winters, daughter of a drunken father and a cold and distant mother. Drawn together by their mutual love of music, and later by their support of the abolition of slavery, Ben and Kate must navigate social etiquette and family ties as they explore the possibilities of something more than friendship.

Music offers Kate sweet refuge from her troubles . . . but real freedom is sweeter.

In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance—and use it to mask her flight.

Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing—and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage—and her voice—if she is to sing a new song for their future.

~ from the publisher