book review

Mercy Land has arrived.  Born in a bolt of lightening on the banks of Bittersweet Creek, she has moved to nearby Bay City and has found her niche – working as the assistant to Doc, the local newspaper editor.  When a mysterious book arrives on her boss’s desk that threatens her dreams, Mercy must decide what to do with the book.  Mercy’s life is further complicated when Doc suddenly decides to retire and brings in John Quincy as his replacement, a newspaper novice who seems to know more about Mercy and Bay City than he’s telling.  Can Mercy determine the book’s purpose before it disappears?  Can she solve the mystery of John Quincy before losing her shot at the job of editor?

Jordan is a gifted storyteller who draws the reader in with her descriptions and flowing language.  Her characters are alive in this book and kept me cheering them on throughout the story.  The issue of the mysterious book, however, was something else.  The blurbs I read made me think that this was a book about time travel – which it isn’t.  Doc seems to think that the book will give him a chance to right an old wrong – but never in their contact with the book do they do more than lose track of time and gain information about people around them.  Since they cannot choose whose name will appear to them or travel in time, I’m not sure how he expected to use the book to change a life.  That part left me confused; it was a bit raw, I think.  There were also connections between a few characters that were never fully explained.

In the end, Jordan makes the point that we are all connected; all of the choices that we make individually affect the human population as a whole.  Forgiveness is also a major theme in this book.

I couldn’t put book down because I just had to know how Mercy was going to save the day; but now that I know the ending, I don’t know how soon I’ll pick it back up again.  It’s a good read, but not one that I need to dust off and make part of my regular reading list.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Blogging for Books  program in exchange for an honest review.

 

How far can God’s mercy reach?

Lindie Wyse is pregnant out of wedlock and thinks an arranged marriage is the only way to preserve her future. Josiah Plank is certain he’ll never love again, but he needs someone to care for his eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. The two take on their arrangement tentatively at first but soon realize they are each in for more than they imagined.

Lindie experiences a breakthrough with Hannah when she recognizes Hannah’s special gifts, but a risky pregnancy and serious health issues threaten to demolish the foundation Josiah and Lindie are building. Will their growing love survive despite their struggles, or will their hearts become as cold as the northern winter?

 We don’t generally think of the Amish in terms of injustice, crime, danger, or arranged marriages, but A Miracle of Hope has all of the above.  The story starts with a dramatic mystery and ends as a sweet story of hope and love.

Lindie is mysteriously quiet in the early chapters of this book.  Not knowing exactly what has happened to her or why she’s been disgraced certainly adds to the suspense of the story, but you’ll soon learn that there’s even more than you expected – which only makes it better.

Josiah has issues that are unforeseen, as well, and they don’t all stem from the seemingly textbook sources.  His problems and past baggage pop up throughout the book with frustrating regularity, which will make you turn pages even faster in the hopes of figuring out his story.  

Hannah’s the one who will really surprise you, though, because not only does she have issues that Josiah takes several chapters to explain, but she has gifts that most faithful English, nevertheless Amish, rarely discuss.  After getting a glimpse of Hannah’s story you can’t help but want to cheer her on and find out more.

So don’t start A Miracle of Hope in the carpool line or just before bedtime or while you wait for the doctor.  You just won’t have enough time.  Settle in with some hot chocolate and your favorite snack, because you’re going to be there a while.  Once you crease the cover, you’ll be turning the pages until you reach ‘The End’ at the back.

 
Read other reviews in this bloggy hop here or purchase your own now.

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She’s a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.

Find out more about Ruth at:http://ruthreid.com

I received a free copy of A Miracle of Hope from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

Marjory and Elizabeth Kerr are alone.  Having lost both husbands in the recent Jacobite uprising and subsequently all titles and land after being branded as traitors to the Scottish Crown, Marjory takes her daughter-in-law Elizabeth to Selkirk, hoping to find work and a new life in the land of her youth.  After being accosted by Dragoons and snubbed by the neighbors, however, the Kerr women are left with only questions.  Will the townspeople forgive Marjory for her former pride and snobbishness?  Will Reverend Brown banish them both from Selkirk?  Will Lord Buchanan turn Elizabeth, his newly appointed seamstress, over to the King for her past mistakes of treason, or will he fall in love with the woman she has become?

This book is a sequel to Here Burns My Candle, and I was a bit worried that I would be lost when the book arrived, but I had no problems.  The author does a fabulous book of filling in the reader on the important information from the previous book without sacrificing the flow of the current story.  Higgs’ characters are so realistic that it seems you might just meet them on the street.  Their depth of character reflects the struggles they have conquered in the previous story and the class  issues in eighteenth century Scotland.   Higgs’ extensive research shines through in the detail she brings to the setting.  The best parts of the book, however, are the twists that Higgs continually throws into the storyline.  Each time the reader feels comfortable predicting the next piece of action, the author throws in a new tangle.  Fabulous!

I loved this book, and if you are a historical fiction fan, you have to check this one out!  I’ll definitely be hunting down more books by Liz Curtis Higgs.

I received a free copy of this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.

For more information about Mine is the Night, including an excerpt from the book, go here.

One decision changed both their lives . . . but will love win in the end? Charlotte Rose Hill enjoys a comfortable life serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky, devoted customers. The only thing lacking is someone to share it with. At eighteen she denied Sam Wilder’s marriage proposal after his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. They both moved on . . . or so she thought. When Sam walks back into her life more than a decade later, Charlotte is surprised that her heart still quickens. But is it because of his presence? Or because of the presence of Sam’s new fiancée? A second chance at love doesn’t happen often, but their past may keep them apart. Is it too late for Sam and Charlotte?

This is, by far, the best Higman book yet!  Charlotte’s tea room is quirky and fun.  Her independent spirit, willingness to help others, and tendency to run for the broom/prayer closet at the first sign of trouble is endearing.  She’s the kind of person I’d love to have for a friend.

Sam is definitely what my college friends would’ve called a “dumb boy.”  He’s sweet and kind and has no clue what’s going on in the heads and hearts of the women with whom he spends time.  The big difference with Sam is that he’s not sure of his own feelings, either!  
In this story Higman explores love: the unselfish kind we feel for neighbors, the selfish kind we feel towards that special someone, the kind we’re not always sure about when faced with someone on the edges of society. How far do we go towards trying to help someone?  How much of other people’s happiness is our responsibility?  How do we move on after losing love?  And how do we forgive people who have really hurt us – whether they’re sorry or not?

A Marriage in Niddlebury strikes the perfect balance of crazy fun and depth of emotion and faith.  As a reader, you’ll laugh along with the quirks while wanting to take notes about what Charlotte and Sam are learning.

Any book that makes me want to run out and meet the characters is a winner in my book.

Read other reviews in this hop here or purchase your own copy now.

Lucy Tucker, the crotchety old bag lady from the popular Yada Yada House of Hope series, is a veteran of Chicago streets and not about to give up her independence, even as she approaches her 80th birthday. 

Until, that is, a young displaced woman with her gentle aging mother and a dog named Dandy seem to need her — unsettling the secretive Lucy, who doesn’t let anyone get too close. But just when it seems her past is catching up with her to bring her in out of the cold… Lucy disappears again. How these two tales intersect and intertwine between past and present gradually shines light into the dark corners of Lucy’s murky past. But… why won’t Lucy come home?


I got right into Cindy’s story.  I love history, and so disappearing into a part of the past that I know little about – migrant farm workers – was really interesting, especially since my great-grandfather used to talk about farming long ago.  As Cindy met Bo and was attracted to the bright lights and the lure of the circus, I could see how exciting the circus must be after the extreme poverty and difficulties she faced each day.

You can read other reviews in this blog tour here.

Hannah Mattox has Pulmonary Hypertension, a heart disease that prevents her from safely bearing children. Karla Valez is a homeless prostitute who despises the “thing” growing inside her and hopes to kill it in-utero with the drugs that have ruled her life—and buried her painful past—for nearly five years.  Gabriella Greene, founder of the Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center, finds herself the bridge between these two women.  A time when questions far outweigh answers, there is one most pressing: why would God allow this?      

Weaving together the lives of three very different women, Loving will take readers on an emotional journey that reveals one common thread: they each need to surrender to a God who loves.

Loving will grab you by the throat from the very first sentence and it won’t let you go.  After a few chapters you’ll be able to catch your breath, but you’ll be hooked on these characters and their situations long before then.   Each one has a traumatic backstory that keeps you personally involved in their lives.  With Hannah, you’ll be fascinated with her bravery and her mother’s fight to give her a normal life.  With Gabriella you’ll cheer on the underdog and want to congratulate her not only on her ability to help others today but on overcoming a difficult Karla is different, for while there is little to commend now, she’ll help you understand how drugs can draw you in, one hour at a time.

Loving is incredibly well written.  The words flow as the plot twists and turns, some foreseen, some not, but all fascinating in their drama and emotion.  I love the way that Hughs starts with a loose cast of characters and draws them tighter and tighter into a cohesive group of players in a major miracle.

I must say that I disliked the ending as much as I loved the beginning, but not because it’s not well written, because it is.  The ending is poignant and precious and will bring you to tears – but it finishes only one character’s story.  Hughs writes with such depth and detail throughout the book, especially in the way that she begins with one character and ends with a different one, that the story feels unfinished to me, but again, not in a bad way.  While I spent several days wondering what happens with those other two major characters, I’m not sure what Hughs intends.  Does she mean to leave you hanging?  Are you meant to determine what you feel would have happened?  Or is there a sequel coming that will continue the stories of these characters?

Personally, I think any of these possibilities would fit.  They are characters on the fringe, and maybe you’re just meant to wonder about them, and maybe even be spurred to action to help the many people in our society who live like that every day.  Maybe Hughs is the next o. henry, skilled at making you debate and question.

Or maybe Hughs is just beginning a series designed to make us aware of health conditions and portions of our society that we rarely think about unless we are forced into contact with them.  These problems may be largely unknown, but the people are people – valuable and in need of help.

Personally, I’m hoping for that third option.  I’d love to have some binoculars to see into Hannah and Grace and Karla’s future.  I’d love to continue this walk with them as they make strides along their journey into forgiveness, redemption, and love.