Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a beautiful and sweet story about family, love, loss, and redemption.

Sadie Wagner is the oldest of six children and has always been dedicated to helping take care of her family. When her papa has an accident and cannot work, she begins to look for work in order to help support the family. Her cousin, Sid, has recently moved to Kansas and writes to tell her of a position there for her, and not only that, but there's an opportunity for her to sing, which is her life long dream. So, Sadie leaves her family and heads to Kansas temporarily to earn money and send back home just until Papa is back on her feet. When she gets there, she finds that being away from her family is much harder than she expected, and nothing turns out as she expected.

I VERY highly recommend this book! As always, Kim Vogel Sawyer's writing is superb! One of the things I noticed that I really appreciate about her writing is that she has a masterful ability to make me feel as if I am right there in the story without lengthy, wordy descriptions. Reading is a very subjective thing, and we all have very different tastes and likes. I personally get distracted by long scenery descriptions, especially when they do it continually throughout the story. Some authors, like this one, have an amazing ability to take you there without having to do that, and I really enjoy and appreciate that.

I really like a small town setting, whether it's a historical or contemporary story, and this was a wonderful small town setting complete with a few quirky but lovable characters. The story has family drama, mystery, suspense, and sweet romance. There is a wonderful message of faith threaded throughout the story as well. I remain a huge fan of Kim Vogel Sawyer and I always look forward to anything she writes.

Book Summary:

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit.

After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

Purchase a copy here.

Author Bio:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of twenty novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

She invites you to visit her Web site at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/ for more information.

Contest Info:

Win a Nook Tablet from Kim Vogel Sawyer and RSVP for her "Song of My Heart" Facebook Party {3/29}!

Celebrate with Kim by entering to win a Nook Tablet and connecting with her at the Book Chat Party on 3/29!



One "songbird" winner will receive:

• A Nook Tablet
• Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/28/12. Winner will be announced at Kim's Book Chat Facebook Party on 3/29. Kim will be hosting an evening of chat, fun trivia and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and much more!

So grab your copy of Song of My Heart and join Kim and friends on the evening of March 29th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

**Click on the LitFuse Logo to follow the entire blog tour schedule.

This book was provided for review by Bethany House Publishers and LitFuse Publicity.

Blessings

Life in Review: "Stand By Me" by Neta Jackson

Stand By Me by Neta Jackson is a delightful story about love, family, friendships, and faith.

Avis Douglass and her husband Peter now have an empty nest. This should be a wonderful time in their lives. However, problems with Avis' daughter, Rochelle, have caused a rift between Avis and her husband, and her daughter is now estranged. There are problems with her job that have added even more stress. Then four young people from the local Christian college begin to visit the SouledOut Community Church where Avis is a worship leader. Kat and her friends are 'do-gooders' that immediately get off on the wrong foot with Avis. To top it all off, these same kids are going to be living in her building for the summer. Will they ever be able to learn to tolerate each other?

I very highly recommend this book! I have to confess to you that I have not read any of the Yada Yada Prayer Group books. I have always wanted to, but there are just so many great books out there, and so little time and I have not gotten there yet. For all of you Yada Yada fans, (and I know there are a lot of you), I'm sure you're going to want to read this one. It's a new series, but it includes some of the characters from the other series. I loved the characters in this book. They are people you can relate to. There were many times when I would catch myself shaking my head at Avis or Kat, and then I would realize...oh no, I do that sometimes too. It's a great family drama with friendships and church community. It's a page-turner that will keep you turning the page to find out what's going to happen next. I will be looking forward to the next one in this series and I hope to get a chance to eventually catch up on the ones I've missed.

Book Summary:

Sometimes the person you most need is the one least like you.

Kathryn Davies is a bright young woman from a prominent Phoenix family. But after making a leap of faith at a Christian music fest, dropping out of med school, and moving to inner city Chicago, her family all but disowns her.

When Kat discovers SouledOut Community Church, she longs to become a part of the multicultural church family. But her tendency to immediately say whatever she’s thinking steps on the toes of nearly everyone she meets—especially Avis Douglass.

Avis has a strong faith, is the principal of one of Chicago’s highest performing elementary schools, and is a founding member of SouledOut. But the country’s economic downturn has thrown both her and her husband’s jobs in question. And Avis hasn’t heard from her youngest daughter in months—an estrangement that gnaws at her every day. Where is God in this?

Kat’s flamboyant zeal for living a “radical” Christian life is a stark contrast to Avis’s more reserved faith. But in God’s timing, the two women discover they need each other in ways neither of them expected.

Buy Stand by Me (A SouledOut Sisters Novel)

Author Bio:

Neta Jackson's award-winning Yada books have sold more than 400,000 copies and are spawning prayer groups across the country. She and her husband, Dave, are also an award-winning writing team, best known for the Trailblazer Books—a 40-volume series of historical fiction about great Christian heroes with 1.5 million in sales—and Hero Tales: A Family Treasury of True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes (vols 1-4). They live in the Chicago metropolitan area, where the Yada stories are set.

Visit her website: http://www.daveneta.com/

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing and The B&B Media Group.

Blessings

Life in Review: "Special Delivery" by Kathi Macias

Special Delivery by Kathi Macias is a wonderful and deeply moving story about the all too real problem of human trafficking.

This is book two in the Freedom series. Deliver Me From Evil was book one in the series. If you read book one, you really don't want to miss book two since it is a continuing series. If you haven't read the first book, the author does a great job of filling in the history from the first book, so you could start with this one if you wanted to. However, it's an outstanding series and worth your time if you have the opportunity to read them both. I think you will appreciate the characters more if you follow the whole series.

Mara has a new life now and she still thinks about Jonathan, who rescued her from her old life. When she unexpectedly sees him again she fights her attraction for him because she feels she could never be worthy of someone like him. While working at her job as a waitress, Mara sees a girl come into the restaurant where she works, and everything she sees tells her that this girl is in big trouble. It brings back the memories and fears of her old life and she knows she must help this girl, even if means taking a big risk to get involved.

I very highly recommend this book! The writing is outstanding and the story will hook you right away and keeps you completely glued to the pages until the very end. I loved Mara in book one and I was so happy to see that this book continues with Mara's story, as well as other characters from book one and some new characters as well. The author deals with some tough issues that are very true to life. She does this in such a way that will bring awareness to these horrible situations that are occurring every day, but the story itself is filled with love and hope and a fabulous message. Book three is The Deliverer and I can't wait to read it!

Book Summary:

In book two of the “Freedom” series, readers find Mara fighting against her attraction to Bible college student Jonathan Flannery even while wrestling with risking her own precarious safety to become involved in the rescue of another girl who is pregnant and desperately wants to escape her captors and save her own life, as well as her child’s.

Halfway around the world in a brothel in Thailand, a young girl is rescued with the promise of being reunited with her younger sister who was adopted by an interracial couple in the States, friends of Jonathan’s family. Meanwhile, Jefe—Mara’s uncle, who held her as a sex slave in his brothel in San Diego for years—seeks revenge for Mara’s testimony that put him behind bars for life.

Will his underworld connections be successful in kidnapping and killing the girl who believes she has finally won her freedom?

Buy Special Delivery (Freedom)

Author Bio:

Award-winning author Kathi Macias has written more than 30 books, including the award-winning devotional A Moment a Dayand the popular “Matthews” mystery novels.

Kathi has won many awards, including the Angel Award from Excellence in Media, fiction awards from the San Diego Christian Writers Guild, 2008 Member of the Year from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and the grand prize in an international writing contest.

With women’s ministry as her primary interest, Kathi is a popular speaker for women’s retreats, conferences, and churches.

A mother and grandmother, Kathi and her husband, Al, call California home.

Visit her website: http://www.kathimacias.com/

This book was provided for review by the publisher and Christian Speaker Services.

Blessings

Life in Review: Q&A With Kathi Macias, Author of "Special Delivery"

Special Delivery is book two in the Freedom (human trafficking) series. For anyone who may not have read book one, Deliver Me From Evil, can you fill us in on the focus of the series in general, and Special Delivery in particular?


The Freedom series is a three-book fiction series built around the horrifying topic of human trafficking. People often ask me why I decided to write about such a dark topic. First, I explain that I’m not writing about a dark topic; I’m writing about the Light that shines in that darkness. And second, I believe the Church should be at the forefront of the modern-day abolition movement to set the captives (modern-day slaves) free. The three books in this series specifically follows the life of a young woman named Mara, who was sold into sexual slavery by her own parents in Mexico, and then smuggled across the border into San Diego by her uncle who then served as her pimp. A strong sub-plot throughout the series tells of two sisters in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Chanthra and Lawan, who are also trapped in a brothel. Finally, a teenage girl named Francesca, kidnapped in Juarez, Mexico, and forced into prostitution, is introduced in book two. Special Delivery picks up two years after book one, Deliver Me From Evil, ends, and continues with the stories of Mara and Lawan, as well as others carried over from book one. Mara hopes she is finally free to pursue her own life because she was rescued from the brothel and her testimony helped lock up her uncle for life. But the man has underground connections and is driven by revenge to reach out from behind bars and deliver the ultimate punishment to his niece.

This isn’t the first fiction series you’ve written on nationwide and even worldwide social issues, the one previous to this being the persecuted Church. What draws you to these difficult topics?

As a Christian, I believe I am compelled to use my God-given gifts to honor God in all I do—and that includes exposing the deeds of darkness, calling sinners to repentance, and taking a stand for righteousness by doing all I can to help rescue those who are suffering. I dare not turn my back on “the least of these.” I also believe that God placed this sort of burden on my heart even before I became a Christian at the age of 26. I’ve always been a champion of the underdog, a “soap-box” preacher, if you will. When I met Jesus, I simply redirected that passion toward His people, realizing I couldn’t effect real change in my own strength anyway.

With your obvious passion to right social and moral wrongs through the power of the Gospel, how did writing and speaking enter into that?

I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since I was a child—never wanted to do anything else. When I was a teenager I told my then boyfriend (now husband) that I was going to be a writer one day. What a blessing that God allowed me to fulfill that dream! After becoming a believer and growing in my faith, it was natural to take my passion to fight for others and incorporate it into my writing. Speaking, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. I was terrified of public speaking when I was young, and the day I received Christ I made a “bargain” with God, promising to do anything He asked of me—so long as it didn’t include public speaking. (Does God have a sense of humor or what???) Now, when I stand in front of audiences where I believe God has called me to speak (and actually find myself enjoying it!), I tell my listeners that if God has called them to do something and they feel it’s impossible, they can consider me their “visual aid” that NOTHING is impossible with God IF we will simply take that first step of obedience and let Him fulfill His purpose in and through us.

With the topics of the worldwide persecuted Church and human trafficking under your belt, what other issues are you dealing with in your writing?

My Christmas 2011 book, A Christmas Journey Home, dealt with the immigration/border problem, and my Christmas 2012 novel, Unexpected Christmas Hero, will be about homelessness in America. The next issues-related fiction series I have on tap—which I am just starting to write, by the way—is called the “Patches of Courage” series and will begin releasing in late January 2013. Book one is The Moses Quilt, based on the life of Harriet Tubman, and will be followed by The Christmas Quilt and The Impossible Quilt. This series of books will highlight historical American women whose Christian faith enabled them to walk in great courage and make a difference in the lives of countless people.

Where can people find out about you and your books/speaking/appearances?

They can go directly to my website (http://www.kathimacias.com/ or http://www.boldfiction.com/) or my Easy Writer blog: http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google, and various other social sites. Would love to hear from all of you!

Where can people find out about free book giveaways on this blog tour?

The blog tour host is giving away a set of two books from the Freedom Series - Book 1 (Deliver Me From Evil) and Book 2 (Special Delivery). Also, readers can follow @ChristianSpkrs on Twitter or follow on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CSSVBT.TheFreedomSeries for more book giveaway locations on the tour.

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I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speakers Services (http://www.christianspeakersservices.com/).





Blessings,

Life in Review: "Beauty For Ashes" by Dorothy Love

Beauty For Ashes by Dorothy Love is a beautiful post Civil War story about a young widow's journey to healing and hope.

Carrie Daly was left a widow after the war. Growing up it was just her and her brother, Henry, and after becoming a widow it was just the two of them again. After years of living on the farm together, just the two of them, Henry has met someone and decided to marry. Carrie is happy for him, but not so sure that Mary Stanhope is the woman he should have chosen for his bride. Between her sour attitude and her unruly boys, Carrie isn't sure they will all survive together in the same house. She doesn't want to be the one who seems stubborn, but she's not going to stick around and be treated like a servant in her own home.

I VERY highly recommend this book! This is book two in the Hickory Ridge series. Book one is Beyond All Measure and it was one of my favorite books last year. If you have read the first book, then you will be familiar with some of the characters in this book. I love a good series and both books are so wonderful that I would urge you to read them both if you have the opportunity. However, you can certainly read this one as a stand-alone and still enjoy it very much, I have no doubt. The writing is beautiful, as well as the setting, and it's filled with characters that will steal your heart. There's even a bit of mystery and suspense as well as the great family drama and romance. The author laces it with a great message that is just as relevant for us today. Dorothy Love is quickly becoming a favorite for me and I am hoping for more in the Hickory Ridge series.

Book Summary:

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.

Buy Beauty for Ashes (A Hickory Ridge Romance)

Author Bio:

Before returning to her writing roots in historical fiction, Dorothy Love published twelve novels for young adults. Her work has garnered numerous honors from the American Library Association, the Friends of American Writers, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library, and many others. The Hickory Ridge Novels mark her Christian fiction debut.

For more about Dorothy visit her website, www.dorothylovebooks.com or friend her on Facebook.com/DorothyLoveBooks.

Contest Info:

Dorothy Love's Beauty for Ashes Kindle Fire and a Sapphire Ring Giveaway! Enter Today & RSVP for 3/20 Facebook Author Chat Party!

We're thrilled to announce the fun giveaway Dorothy is hosting! First, she'll be giving away a Kindle Fire (3/1-3/20), then on the evening of the 20th she's inviting everyone to her Facebook Author Page for a fun Author Chat party! Don't miss a minute of the fun ... sigh.



One beautiful winner will receive:

• A Brand new Kindle Fire with Wi-Fi
• Beauty for Ashes by Dorothy Love
• Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/20/12. Winner will be announced at Dorothy's Facebook Author Chat Party on 3/20. Come for an evening of chat, trivia, and a sneak peek at the next book in Dorothy's Hickory Ridge series - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books and a stunning sapphire ring!

So grab your copy of Beauty for Ashes  and join Dorothy and friends on the evening of March 20th for an evening of fun.
Don't miss Dorothy's delightful giveaway and party. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 20th!

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing and LitFuse Publicity.

Blessings

Life in Review: "More Beauty, Less Beast" by Debora M. Coty

More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre by Debora Coty offers encouragement and inspiration to help us tame our inner beast and see ourselves as God sees us.

I very highly recommend this book. It is a delightful little book that is packed full of powerful insights and lessons. It's broken up into small chapters and at the end of each chapter are some questions to ask yourself in order to apply what you've read. I chose to read it like a devotional and read a chapter each morning. The book is funny and the author is very open and honest in sharing personal stories that we can relate to.

I think most all of us have that inner beast inside of us that points out our flaws in the mirror and makes us feel badly about ourselves. The author uses scripture along with personal stories to point the reader to Biblical truths that we need to remember, rather than the false things our inner ogre is telling us. It's a very practical book that most of women would benefit from greatly. If you remember the truth about what God says about us in the Bible, and filter everything through His Word, then it's easier to recognize the lies that our inner voice is telling us.

About the book:

With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses heart needs of women struggling to tame that out-of-control inner beast that unexpectedly pounces, roaring and shredding, as it threatens to destroy the divinely beautiful princess hidden within. Whether jaded by emotional wounds, unrealistic standards, or lack of confidence, this laugh-out-loud, girlfriend-to-girlfriend encouragement will help women transform their destructive inner beast into the exquisite beauty they were always meant to be.

Buy More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre

Author Bio:

Debora Coty is an occupational therapist, a piano teacher, and a freelance writer. She's also involved in the children's ministry at her church and is an avid tennis player. Debora began writing to fill the void when her last child left for college, and it has since become a passion. Debora has a real knack for getting across sound biblical concepts with a refreshing lightheartedness as attested in her monthly newspaper column entitled "Grace Notes: God's Grace for Everyday Living."

Visit www.deboracoty.com for more about Debora and her books.

Giveway Info:

Transform Your Inner Ogre with a $150 Visa Cash Card from @DeboraCoty!

Using Biblical advice and her trademark humor, Debora Coty urges women to conquer guilt and re-institute hope in More Beauty, Less Beast. Celebrate with Debora by entering to win a $150 Visa Cash Card!



One "beautiful" winner will receive:

• A $150 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
• A Debora Coty Library (More Beauty, Less Beast, Too Blessed Too Be Stressed and Everyday Hope)
• Chocolate (Every good things begins with chocolate!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 3/22/12. Winner will be announced at Debora's "Divine Beauty" Facebook Party on  3/22. Debora will be hosting an evening of chat, fun beauty trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Debora via Skype.)




So grab your copy of More Beauty, Less Beast and join Debora and friends on the evening of March 22nd for an evening of fun.
Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 22nd!

This book was provided for review by Barbour Books and LitFuse Publicity.

Blessings

Life in Review: "Love's Sacred Song" by Mesu Andrews

Love's Sacred Song by Mesu Andrews is a magnificent fictional telling of the Song of Solomon.

Solomon was the chosen son of King David and Bathsheba. He is now the King of Judah and has wealth, land, and a huge harem. He was given the gift of wisdom directly from God. Solomon will discover that wisdom in all of the other things in life does not help him to understand the concept of love. That is from the heart and his gift of widsom won't help him there. A treaty wife from the northern kingdom of Israel will show him what true love looks like.

I VERY highly recommend this book! I could tell from reading this, and then confirmed later in reading some things from the author, that she spent years studying and researching the Song of Solomon. It occurred to me while I was reading this that I have done a lot of Bible study, and I have studied David in a few different studies and know a great deal about him, but I know very little about Solomon. I have never run across a study on Solomon and I would venture to guess that it's because most Bible study teachers don't want to tackle the Song of Solomon. There are so many different opinions out there about the book. I have heard some say that it's a symbolic book that represents God's love for Israel. Others believe it was a literal, earthly love, and others believe it to be both.

I loved this fictionalized story by Mesu Andrews. It brought Solomon to life for me. It's beautifully detailed, masterfully written, and meticulously researched. I became so enthralled with this story and these characters that I didn't want it to end. If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you will love this one! I really like Biblical fiction because I have a tendency to put some Biblical figures on a pedistal and forget that they were human just like you and me. When I read Biblical fiction, it reminds me of the human flaws and characteristics of the people in the Bible. This is the second book that I have read by Mesu Andrews and I am already a huge fan. She writes outstanding Biblical fiction and I can't wait to see what she has for us next.

Book Summary:

Wisdom came as God's gift, but sacred love was forged through passion's fire

Standing in the shadow of his famous father, young King Solomon wavers between fear and bravado, longing for a love that is true and pure--a love that can be his cornerstone.

A shepherdess in the northern city of Shunem, Arielah has known since she first laid eyes on Solomon that it was her destiny to become his bride. When her father secures a promise from Solomon to marry Arielah as a treaty bride to help unite the kingdom, it seems her dreams will come true.

But how can this simple shepherdess live as part of Solomon's harem? Can Solomon set aside his distractions to give himself completely to just one woman? Or will he let duty, deception, and the daily routine divide his heart?

Mesu Andrews expertly weaves the words of the Song of Solomon into this touching story of the power of love from a master storyteller.

*Available March 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Buy this book HERE.

Author Bio:

Mesu Andrews is the author of Love Amid the Ashes and is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word, Andrews brings the biblical world vividly alive for her readers. She lives in Washington

Visit her website: http://www.mesuandrews.com/

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This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Blessings

Life in Review: "Sarai" by Jill Eileen Smith

Sarai by Jill Eileen Smith is a fabulous re-telling of the story of Sarai, wife of Abram, in the Old Testament of the Bible.

When Sarai and Abram married, he promised not to take another wife and she promised to give him a son. It seemed like a simple vow that wouldn't be difficult to honor. However, Sarai never dreamed she would be barren. Many years later there is still no child and Sarai lives in fear because she knows Abram can nullify their vows, since she has been unable to keep up her end of the deal. Then one day when Abram is in the fields tending his flock, the Lord speaks to him. He makes a promise of an heir, and gives Abram instructions to leave his home and go to another land. As time goes by it gets harder to believe that the Lord's promise of an heir is going to come true.

I VERY highly recommend this book! I loved this author's series on the wives of David and now this book is the beginning of the wives of the patriarchs. Much of the story is straight from Scripture, and then she fills it out with what might have happened. She brings the people from the Bible to life for us in such a masterful way. I really hadn't thought that much about Sarai before. Abram (or later Abraham) always fascinated me, but if I'm honest, I don't think Sarai was one of my favorite Biblical figures. This book really changed my feelings about her. When we bring them to life and remember they were human just like you and me, I think it really helps in relating to their stories better. This story is captivating and compelling. Once I started, I didn't want to put it down. Even though I knew the basics of the story, the author made me truly care for Sarai and I was completely hooked. Jill Eileen Smith is brilliant at writing Biblical fiction. I can't wait for more in this series on wives of the Patriarchs.

Book Summary:

He promised her his heart. She promised him a son. But how long must they wait?

When Abram finally requests the hand of his beautiful half sister Sarai, she asks one thing--that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even Sarai's father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if she makes a promise in return--to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees.

But as the years stretch on and Sarai's womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain, lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram's patience last?

Combining in-depth research and vivid storytelling, Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the beautiful and inscrutable Sarai in this remarkable story of love, jealousy, and undaunted faith.

Buy this book HERE.

Author Bio:

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the bestselling Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of The Wives of King David series. She has more than twenty years of writing experience, and her writing has garnered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

Visit her website: http://www.jilleileensmith.com/

This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Blessings

Michelle V

Life in Review: "Heart's Safe Passage" by Laurie Alice Eakes

Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes is part tender drama and part suspense novel. Set during the war of 1812, this fast-paced, high-seas adventure is gripping and rich with memorable characters.

Phoebe Lee is a widow who has trained to become a midwife in Virginia. After a difficult past, she just wants to start over and embrace her new life as a midwife, helping women from all walks of life. Her sister-in-law, Belinda, has always been a bit spoiled and pampered all of her life, and when she wants someone to do something she will do just about anything to make sure they do it. This time she wants her sister-in-law to accompany her on a dangerous voyage to rescue her husband from English prison, and she wants a midwife by her side. Phoebe refuses to go on this insane endeavor, but Belinda is not willing to accept 'no' as her answer. Phoebe finds herself abducted and forcibly carried onto a vessel and off to sea. Captain Rafe Docherty has promised Belinda he will rescue her husband, but he actually has his own ugly agenda of revenge. Will they be able to rescue George, and is that truly even part of Rafe's plan? Will they even survive the trip across the seas in the middle of a war?

I VERY highly recommend this book! Lady in the Mist was book one in The Midwives series, and I have adored both books in this series so far! If you have not read Lady in the Mist yet, you could read this book as a stand alone, but it is definitely worth your time to read them both, if you are able to. The writing is superb, and the characters practically leap off the page. Once I started this book, I did not want to put it down for a moment. It has some family drama, mystery, intense suspense, action, adventure, and romance. There's plenty of great historical detail plus the whole thing is woven together with a beautiful message of love, forgiveness, and redemption. I become a bigger fan of Laurie Alice Eakes with each new book that I read!

Book Summary:

One woman takes the treacherous journey toward redemption . . . and love.

All Phoebe Lee wants out of life is to practice midwifery in Loudon County, Virginia. But when she refuses to accompany her pregnant sister-in-law to help save her husband from an English prison during the War of 1812, Phoebe finds herself pressed aboard a British privateer.

Captain Rafe Docherty promises to get Phoebe's brother-in-law out of prison in exchange for information Rafe needs to exact revenge on the man who destroyed his family. As he realizes his attraction to Phoebe, she determines to get ashore before her patient goes into labor--and before her own heart is in danger. But an enemy in their midst threatens to end their plans--and their very lives.

*Available February 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Buy this book HERE.

Author Bio:

Laurie Alice Eakes is the author of Lady in the Mist, A Necessary Deception, Heart's Safe Passage, and several other novels. She won a National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency in 2007 for Family Guardian. Laurie Alice writes full-time from her home in Texas, where she lives with her husband and sundry dogs and cats.

Visit her website: http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/

This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

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