A drunk driver left Grayson without his beloved wife and Dayne without his devoted mother two years ago. Sara steps in to try and help her brother, but Grayson can’t seem to get over the loss of his wife. Longing for some time to focus on Dayne and heal from his loss, Grayson convinces his church to hire an associate pastor. Enter Mark Welch and his beautiful and loyal sister Adrea. In a unique turn of events, Grayson comes face-to-face with the florist who has been creating the arrangements of white roses he ordered for his wife Sara. The arrangements he faithfully presented to her during their life together, he now leaves at her grave.

Grayson and Adrea find themselves unable to deny that their pain and loss on Valentine’s Day three years before is the only thing drawing them together. But fears and secrets, all grounded in the past, seem determined to drive them apart.

Vannatter, a pastor’s wife, knows the ins and outs of church leadership and uses that knowledge to give the reader glimpses of the real-life struggles and humanness of those called into ministry. In a refreshing, easy-to-read style, Vannatter shows the reader true-to-life believers wresting with the same things we all do: fear, doubt, forgiveness, and anger. There are no squeaky clean, never-fail Christians in this book. Rather the reader will meet believers trying to do the right thing, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing, in the face of difficult circumstances. The reader is likely to recognize himself or herself in one or many of Vannatter’s unique characters.

Vannatter develops both the story and the characters to a satisfying conclusion, teaching us all a lesson about trusting God and remaining faithful even in the midst of the most heart-rending circumstances. Readers of contemporary romance will enjoy the believable characters and the universal themes portrayed in this delightful story that is compact enough to enjoy in a weekend or even one late-night read.

Reviewed by: Nikki Studebaker Barcus

One scene in the book made tears come to my eyes and that doesn’t happen often. It was so touching and full of emotion. Sad, but very beautiful.

“Creede of Old Montana” is funny, inspiring, full of love, has many battles and fights, but also has sad, touching moments. So if you love Westerns this is a book you must have. Even if you don’t like them you will love this book. I HIGHLY recommond “Creede of Old Montana.”

Her best friend is Emory Chance, a woman who once had an affair with Ouisie’s preacher husband. Without Emory and the bottle hidden in Ouisie’s bedroom, life would be unbearable for the reverend’s wife. Since Emory’s found the Lord, she’s a different woman, and one of only a few who know about Hap’s violent tendencies. One of the few Ouisie trusts with that knowledge.

Ouisie’s children know. They’ve witnessed it, been on the receiving end of it. Her little girl has a lisp and is growing old before she’s grown. Her son, Jed, already bitter after the death of his friend Daisy, grows angrier and more belligerent as his mother continues to keep secrets and refuses to protect herself or her children from Hap. But Ouisie guards her husband’s reputation because, as a wife who fails to make her husband happy, surely his fits of temper are her own fault.

Somewhere in Defiance, the man who stole young Daisy Chance’s life still lives and breathes and plans his next move. And then there’s Elijah, a self-proclaimed prophet, who shows up out of nowhere and befriends Ouisie.

Her life is spinning out of control. She’s on a collision course with disaster, and too afraid to take the reins and stop the headlong rush. Will she find her courage before her world crashes in around her…before her children are forever destroyed by life and Hap Pepper’s cruelty?

Life in Defiance is the third and final book in the Defiance, Texas trilogy. Mary DeMuth has created a town full of living, breathing characters with wants and needs, problems and secrets. They’re not perfect people, and they live in a far from perfect world. This author is a master at capturing human emotion and pouring it onto a written page. My heart bled as Ouisie suffered under Hap’s heavy hand and heartless comments. My mother’s heart cried for Jed and Sissy as they cringed beneath their father’s temper and their mother’s inability to fight back. I longed to comfort Emory, who lived with not only her daughter’s murder, but her own failure as a mother prior to Daisy’s death. No one creates emotion like DeMuth. Every book in the Defiance series is a masterpiece. Each of the first two seemed to reach a pinnacle of excellence, leaving me to wonder how the next story could possibly reach or exceed its impact. Each time, DeMuth answered with another perfect, powerful follow-up. Absolutely unforgettable.

This book challenges pre-conceived ideas and misconceptions of single-parenthood and reminds us of the importance of looking past the superficial. Hannah Johns, a Christian woman who finds herself raising a toddler alone, has an impenetrable faith that draws others to her and to her God. I admired her purity, gentleness and open-hearted love, until her kindhearted nature put her in a place of total emotional vulnerability. Then, as Brock Ellis twisted that knife even deeper into her already wounded heart, I longed for vindication. Suddenly, I didn’t want Hannah to be the nice, gentle, forgiving Hannah anymore. I wanted her to walk away and harden her heart. But at a time when I would have been wallowing in self-pity, Hannah drew closer to God and trusted in His plan. And ultimately, it was her faith and total surrender to the will of God that brought about her ultimate healing.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery

 Reviewed by: Trinity Rose

What will happen across this chasm between Edward and Leora is the magic behind the well-chosen words of “The Silver and the Cross” Can these two lovers find some compromise or will each go a separate way?

This book is a quick read and should provide inspiration for those who feel God’s presence in their everyday lives.

reviewer: Regis Schilken

In Never Say Never, Lisa Wingate tells the story of Kai Miller and her attempt to put down roots after living a childhood moving from place to place. Kai ends up in the small town of Daily, Texas after escaping from a hurricane near her home and discovers the never before experienced welcome of a small town. She met and saved Donetta Bradford during a risky evacuation during the storm and an unlikely friendship begins to develop. Donetta, having had a similar childhood, is able to aid Kai in ways she could not have imagined. The story is told from the perspective of both Kai and Donetta which makes small town Texas come alive. If you are looking for a lighthearted, entertaining book, then Never Say Never is a great choice!
*Thank you to Bethany House for providing the book free of charge for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Reviewed by Sandra

http://langford7.blogspot.com

To order the book and find out about the author Rudi London go to:

http://www.amazingroad.com/

Reviewed by Gabriella