Take A Moment...

I'm so behind on my reviews, I'm doing several today. Take a moment and check out these recent releases. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. :)

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Mail Order Man by Heather Gray pleasantly surprised me. Sometimes I'm quite hesitant when I pick up a book by an unknown author, at least unknown to me. This novel exceeded my expectations and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Gray's work.

Mail Order Man made me laugh, cry, and laugh again. So many misunderstandings, so many men, and then comes trouble. Sarah doesn't know what to make of it, or of the man who saves her from being accosted by several other men new in town. I could relate to Sarah's hesitancy to trust any of the new men in town, including Samuel, whom she knows is not telling her everything.

Back cover:

Some people get a mail order bride. She got a mail order man.

A well-meaning friend places an ad to find a mail order husband for Sarah, the proprietress of Larkspur’s stage and mail office. Sarah, who is generally quiet and reserved, doesn't know about the ad and has no idea what to do with all the people that are showing up in her community. Before long, the town is overrun with men and mail alike. Sarah is trying to avoid some men who have accosted her on the street when she stumbles into Samuel. Through long days spent together at the stage office, some very adventurous pots of coffee and a shared faith, the two become friends. Sarah knows that Samuel is hiding something from her, something important, but that doesn't stop her heart from leaping wildly into love. Lacking the confidence to trust her heart, Sarah wars with herself over the feelings she can no longer deny. When some of the men who have come to town show their true intentions, a shootout follows. Sarah finally gets answers to many of the questions circling through her mind. One question remains, though. 

Where will her mail order man go when the dust settles?

Rating: 4 roses

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Wow, just wow. Katie Ganshert has done an excellent job with Wishing on Willows. The writing is excellent, and pulls you into the story with little effort on your part.

It is a heartwarming story of grief and second chances at love. Sometimes a dry, empty desert becomes our familiar place and no matter how good the alternative is, making a change is scary. Taking a chance on love, for a second time, can be even scarier, but Ms. Ganshert has done an excellent job of showing us that it can work.

Back cover:

A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.

So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.

With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.

Rating: 4 stars

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Another Wow book. Wholly satisfying. Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer will make you chuckle, stare at the page in disbelief, and even bring a tear to your eye. Well, that last one might just be me, but it is highly emotional in a few places.

I stand in awe of Karen Witemeyer's ability to pull me into a story and refuse to let me go. She did it with Short-Straw Bride, and she's done it again with Stealing the Preacher. Kudo's to Ms. Witemeyer for an excellent novel.

Back cover:

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he's forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the minister she requested for her birthday. Worried this unfortunate detour will ruin his chances of finally serving a congregation of his own, Crockett is determined to escape. But when he finally gets away, he's haunted by the memory of the young woman he left behind--a woman whose dreams now hinge on him.

For months, Joanna Robbins prayed for a preacher. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. A man to help her discover answers to the questions that have been on her heart for so long. But just when it seems God has answered her prayers, it turns out the person is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett to stay in her little backwoods community? And does the attraction between them have any chance of blossoming when Joanna's outlaw father is dead set against his daughter courting a preacher?

Rating: 5 roses

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That's all the reviews for today.

Blessings,
Ginger