Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren

Nick Noble has been away from his home The Silver Buckle for over 10 years. He left home an angry young man and never knew how to return and apologize to those he loved and hurt. Now his father has passed away and left part of The Silver Buckle property to Nick's childhood friend Cole. Nick swears one thing-he will never allow one piece of Silver Buckle property to fall into Cole's hands. He returns home to protect the land he was raised on and to hopefully make amends to those he hurt when he left, but not to Cole, no never to Cole.

Piper Sullivan is a journalist trying to clear her step-brothers name and prove that Nick Noble framed him. Determined to get the evidence she needs to provide justice for her brother Piper hires on to The Silver Buckle as a cook. One problem though, Piper cannot cook! Believing that all she needs is one week to gather her evidence Piper bluffs her way through her first big meal.

Maggy, Nick's sweetheart through high school and into college married Cole soon after Nick left. They have had a good life, but now Cole's health is deteriorating and he faces leaving their son and Maggy with more than they can handle. When Nick returns Cole knows that Maggy will go running back to him, after all Cole feels that he never really deserved a girl like Maggy.

Add in to all of that a suspense element and Reclaiming Nick grabs the reader and keeps them turning the pages through all of the twists and turns to the surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Reclaiming Nick had me from the beginning and now I am going to go order the next book Taming Rafe to continue on with the Noble family story. I liked the human-ness of the characters in Reclaiming Nick and their need to forgive, be forgiven and forgive themselves. I also liked the romance between Nick and Piper. I got a little frustrated with Cole and Maggy's relationship, the reader knows that Maggy loves him, but having felt like he was in Nick's shadow all of his life Cole is a man who cannot believe his good fortune in gaining the love of a woman like Maggy. A great story with lots of twists and turns to keep the readers interest!

Bleachers by John Grisham

I have never been disappointed in a John Grisham book. I was a bit leery of this one because I am used to the lawyer type books that Grisham normally writes. Bleachers is nothing like those.

Neely Crenshaw returns to his hometown along with the majority of other Spartan football players to await the death of their former coach. They gather on the bleachers reminiscing about their former football triumphs. Each player has a story about Coach Rake. There is a love/hate relationship that all of Rake's players had with him. Each of his "boys" remembers what a taskmaster Rake was on the practice field and how they hated him for his seeming coldness to them, but each of their lives has been defined by Coach Rake.

Bleachers is a quick and satisfying read. It had a lot of football lingo that I didn't understand, but there was no misunderstanding the need for closure and forgiveness that Neely finally receives at the end of Coach Rake's life.

After The Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark

Celia and her husband Jeff are faced with a parent’s worst nightmare. Their son Caleb is diagnosed with a brain tumor. They must enter into a world of treatment with very little hope offered for healing.

Just as Celia’s life is crumbling around her she is also faced with her father coming back into her life. Alfie abandoned Celia and her mother when Celia was a young child. Alfie claims he is a “changed man”. Adele, Celia’s mother believes him; Celia though refuses to forgive him.

How far would a parent go to find a cure for their child? Celia explores the realm of alternative medicine while denying any spiritual intervention. Alfie wishes to share his spiritual change with Celia. He is sure that through prayer and forgiveness healing can begin.

Because of the subject matter it is hard to say, “I really enjoyed this book”. But when you take it apart and examine each character you find so much to like. Chapters are alternated between Alfie and Celia. What each one is going through during this process. The author has managed to capture heart-breaking emotions of parents faced with losing their child, consequences of choices that are made and the healing power of forgiveness. So despite the subject of the book, I really did enjoy After the Snow Falls because the characters and subject captured my heart as I read. 

Come back tomorrow(Friday December 16th) for a guest post by author Carey Jane Clark and a giveaway of her book After the Snow Falls for either a Kindle or ePub.

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Finley is on her way to Ireland as part on an exchange student program. She is following her brother’s footsteps after his death.  Since Will was killed Finley has found herself in a downward spiral. She feels that God is no longer listening to her. Since reading Will’s journal and seeing how much he saw God while in Ireland, Finley believes that if she just follows in his footsteps that maybe God will meet her there also. 

Beckett Rush is a hot young actor heading to his home in Ireland to film his latest vampire movie. When Finley, being bumped up to first class, sits next to him on their trip to Ireland he assumes that she too will be one of the many girls that swoon over him. He is in for a huge surprise. Finley is uninterested in his notoriety. 

Finley’s host family runs a Bed & Breakfast. Finley is less than enthused when she finds that Beckett is staying there for the duration of the filming of his movie. Since Finley is without a car it puts a crimp in her following Will’s journal. Beckett offers to drive her around in return for her being his assistant. She helps him run lines. He finds her honesty refreshing.

One of Finley’s first assignments when she starts school is to adopt a grandmother from the local nursing home. She is assigned Mrs. Sweeney, a cantankerous woman who is dying. Finley tries to get out of the assignment or to get reassigned to someone else, but her teacher is not going for it. What Finley doesn’t count on is learning to love the woman and helping her find forgiveness in her last days.

With the mounting pressure of school, an audition at a conservatory, her mounting feelings for Beckett, and being unable to come up with an ending for her musical piece, Finley starts to spiral downhill. Will she meet God in this place or will she lose Him and herself in the process?

From the moment I picked up the book I had a hard time putting it down. Jenny B. Jones has a way of writing that captures the reader from the very beginning of the book until the last page is turned. I connected with the characters and empathized with both of them. Without being overly preachy Jenny B. Jones was able to show her characters struggle with faith and ultimate victory. 

Disaster Status by Candace Calvert-KINDLE #2

Erin is an ER nurse who has a hard time trusting people-especially men. All while she was growing up she could never trust her father because he always let her down. She cannot forgive her father so she has hardened herself and separated herself from her family. She has convinced herself that she is strong and doesn't need to trust anyone else.

Scott is a firefighter with ambitions to be chief. He likes everything "by the book". Having failed to help his sister out of a miserable marriage with disastrous results, he blames himself. He too has slowly separated himself from his family.

When a chemical spill brings several people to the ER it throws Erin and Scott together. Sparks instantly fly between them. There is definitely an attraction between them but will they be able to get past their own hurts and be able to trust each other?

This was a fairly quick and easy read. I was a bit disappointed in that I thought the initial disaster would play more of a part in the story. While there were several emergencies during the story the author focused more on the relationships and the personal struggles of several characters.

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

  

  Three young seamstresses work for Madame Fortier. Each one has a different specialty and a different background.

Julietta is the embroiderer. She comes from a loving home but is determined to shake the fetters of family and tradition and embrace the freedoms of America. 

Annamaria is the smocker. Being the eldest daughter her responsibility is to take care of her parents until their death. If she is lucky she may be able to eventually marry. 

Luciana is hired to do elaborate bead work. Her father was killed by anarchists. She and her grandmother have escaped to America, but they are still pursued by the murderer who killed her father.

Each girl struggles with the prejudices of the day, and the heart-break of forbidden love. 

A Heart Most Worthy is written in what I have read is called "Omniscient voice." I'm not exactly sure what that means. My understanding is that the author breaks into the story now and then and addresses the reader. At first it was a bit annoying, but as I became more enmeshed in the story and the girls' lives those break-ins in the story were less relevant than what was actually happening in the story. I enjoyed the book very much. I've read one other book by Siri Mitchell, Beauty Becomes Her. If you like historical fiction these books are a must read!

Save The Date by Jenny B. Jones

Lucy Wiltshire runs Saving Grace, a home for girls who have nowhere else to go. Saving Grace is losing it's biggest supporter due to budget cuts. Lucy will do anything to be able to keep a roof over the girls' head.

Alex Sinclair is running for a seat in Congress. Unfortunately he is behind in the polls and in need of something that will boost his ratings. When he and Lucy's paths cross sparks begin to fly.

Lucy cannot stand Alex. They went to school together and Alex never paid attention to Lucy. After all she was a charity case who's mom cleaned homes. Alex was always surrounded by any girl he wanted.

When Alex proposes that they help each other by entering into a sham engagement Lucy is loathe to accept him. But when Alex offers to give the money needed to keep Saving Grace open if Lucy agrees to the plan she cannot turn him down. What she doesn't count on is falling in love with Alex. But will Alex ruin everything by his drive to win the election and push everyone that cares for him away?

I loved the characters of Clare and Julian! Clare had fired Lucy's mother years before and blacklisted her. She has a secret she must reveal to Lucy that will change Lucy's life forever. Julian is Clare's sassy male assistant. These two provide some great comic moments in the story. They are growing in their new faith in the Lord and become wonderful friends to Lucy.

This was a fast read that has humor and yet also deals with serious issues of self-acceptance, forgiveness and love. I enjoyed it very much.

Words by Ginny L. Yttrup

  

Sierra Dawn allows herself one day a year to think about the death of her baby 12 years before. Each year on the anniversary of Annie's death Sierra goes to the grave, has lunch with her friend Ruby, and spends the rest of her day trying to forget. Sierra is consumed with guilt and anger. She knows that because she was addicted to drugs while pregnant with Annie that is the reason that Annie died. But she is angry at God because she feels that he could have prevented Annie from dying. Raised in a Christian home Sierra chose a different path to follow when she went to college. Ruby and Sierra's parents think it is time for Sierra to relinquish the anger and guilt and get right with God. Sierra doesn't  know if she ever can.  A trip to a secluded spot in the Redwoods changes her life forever.

Kaylee has been abandoned by her mother and left in the care of Jack her mother's last boyfriend. The only things Kaylee has of her mother's are her dictionary and Emily Post's etiquette book. Kaylee hides them from Jack so that they will not be taken away. To escape the daily sexual abuse and neglect Kaylee reads the dictionary and memorizes words and their meanings. All of the words are bottled up inside of her as she has not been able to speak since her mother abandoned her to this evil man. Too afraid to run away because she worries that her mother has amnesia and someday will return to find her Kaylee suffers in silence and fear. One of her favorite spots is the hollowed out spot in a Redwood tree. She sits in a circle of pinecones telling herself that nothing can cross the pinecones to hurt her.

Sierra befriends Kaylee and realizes that neglect and maybe something more is going on in her life. She contacts Child services to find out what can be done. Once Kaylee is rescued she is placed in the care of Sierra. From that moment on healing for both Sierra and Kaylee begins.

WOW! This book was so good. It was heartbreaking to read about Kaylee's abuse. I wanted to jump through the pages and administer justice myself! Ginny Yttrup was able to show that God can redeem us from our worst sins and give us peace and rest in Him through the trials of life.