Book Review

Reverence in the Wildnerness by Andrea Byrd

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Frontier Hearts, Book 3

Green County, Kentucky, 1782—Keturah Elliot has just buried her father. With the deaths of her mother and brother a couple of years before, for which her father had blamed her, she is now alone in the world. It’s up to her to save the homestead that she and her father had worked so hard to build. Yet she can’t do it alone.

Daniel Scott, left behind by a group traveling westward, meets the beautiful woman in need of a husband. He’s astounded that she’d consider him. His only father had rejected him. He longs for a wife and family who will love him.

I enjoyed this short novel that portrays the struggles of early pioneers. Endearing characters face a loss that threatens their growing love for one another. The story is also a journey of faith.

The story unfolded in a natural way that was enjoyable to read.  

I will look for other books by this author. Recommended.  

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Patriot at the River by Jayna Baas

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Novel of the American Revolution

For Liberty & Conscience, Book 2

1780—Patriot Scout Benjamin Woodbridge is a courageous soldier fighting for his country’s freedom from England, along with his neighbors from the backcountry settlement of Sunrising. Some of his fellow North Carolinians have joined the British side.

Benjamin’s anger runs deep, directed at the cruel British officer responsible for his father’s death. Those emotions have cost him the love of the woman he’d hoped to marry. Aunt Kate and his sister pray that his negative emotions don’t devour him in a need for vengeance. Now, with the British army’s sights set on destroying his village, Benjamin must protect those loves even if the Patriot army doesn’t arrive in time.

This poignant story portrays the struggles of our early patriots and the price they paid for their heroism. It is also a journey of faith.

Realistic characters and unlikely comrades drew me into the story from the first page. Danger, courageous acts, self-doubt, forgiveness, redemption, and questions of faith throughout the book make this a powerful read. I couldn’t put the book down.

This beautifully redemptive story is told from several viewpoints, including the antagonist. Unexpected twists kept me riveted to this well-written book.

I will look for other books by this author. Highly recommended.  

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The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The Secret to Love that Lasts

The author opens with a story about a fellow passenger on a plane. Upon learning that the author was a marriage counselor who also led marriage enrichment seminars, the man asked, “What happens to the love after you get married?”

One of the early points that Chapman makes is that he’s glad the euphoria of those feelings when love is new doesn’t last. We have a thousand other things to accomplish, which means we can’t be with our spouse every minute.

Yet the love can last throughout our years together. We just need to learn our spouse’s Love Language.

This book is filled with stories from Chapman’s clients. These examples show the different needs people have for how to express love.

An easy-to-read book that is packed full of relationship advice.

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Mending Christmas by Shanna Hatfield

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Rodeo Romance, Book 13

Dr. Beth Moore moves into the Idaho home she recently inherited, hoping to find a break in Twin Falls. She wants a different job away from the hospital emergency room, but first she needs rest.

She meets Billy Clark, a rodeo bullfighter, when a bull tosses him at her feet. Treating his wounds leads to a job traveling with the rodeo company. Billy’s infectious good spirits and laughter are a stark contrast to her personality. Can he grow to care for him?

Billy’s childhood had been a trainwreck. Finding a job on the rodeo and friends who cared while a teenager changed his life. Bullfighting is all he’s known. Meeting the quiet, reserved doctor who excels at her job throws him for a loop. Can he hope that someone like her will care for him?

Lovable, wounded characters quickly drew me into the story. It’s easy to see that bullfighting is a dangerous occupation. Readers will be pulled into the traveling life of those who work for the rodeo. I loved that those involved in the show became a family.

I enjoyed this holiday western romance.

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House of Cards by Rena Bell Yeager

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

This contemporary retelling of the Biblical story of David and Bathsheba gripped my attention from the beginning.

David Kingston, a divorced billionaire in charge of an international corporation, sees Elizabeth swimming at night from his high-rise New York City penthouse apartment. Her husband, who works for David, is on a business trip.

An adulterous affair leads to pregnancy. David’s reputation as a Christian businessman will be destroyed if the press discovers he’s the father.

There are sensual scenes in this inspirational novel that make this an adult story. Yet it is also a story of redemption and forgiveness.

Key aspects of David and Bathsheba, including the similarity of names, are part of the novel.

Characters are realistic and flawed. Their plight worsens with each twist, making this book a page-turner.

I will look for more by this author.

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Up From Dust by Heather Kaufman

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Women of the Way, Book 1

Martha’s Story

Martha learns the bitterness of loss at an early age. Her mother dies giving birth, leaving her father a shell of his former self and uninterested in his children. Martha, the oldest sibling, Martha takes care of Lazarus and baby Mary with the help of her grandmother and others.

While a teenager, Martha dreams of marrying the man she loves, yet the tragedies continue to mount. Her bitterness deepens.

Several years later, Martha and her siblings meet Jesus of Nazareth. He heals her friend’s husband. Could he be the Messiah?

I was quickly drawn into this fictional story about the Biblical siblings. It is told in first person from Martha’s point of view.

This well-written, poignant story held my attention from the beginning. The author has taken creative license to tell the story, including the timing of events and the people involved in some instances. The author addresses some of these in the Author’s Note.

Flawed, believable characters pulled me into their challenges and heartaches. It’s a powerful Biblical fiction set during the time of Christ.

Christianbook.com

Rift by Steven James

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Rift: Mind the Thin Places

Rift Trilogy, Book 1

Seventeen-year-old Sahara O’Shaugnessy is still reeling from her father’s death seven months later. She blames herself for his accident. Not only that, but her mother has gone off the deep end and sent Sahara to live with her grandmother in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee.

Sahara’s active imagination, fueled by her grandmother’s storytelling, leads her to write fairy tales. Not only that, she tells some grisly tales she’s heard to her friends. Telling fairy tales that should never be shared sets a terrifying chain of events in motion.

James is a master storyteller. This YA Suspense novel gripped me from the first page, the first sentence.

Spine-chilling experiences mix with dangerous ghostly lore. Some violent fairy tales are horrifying.

It ends on a cliffhanger that propels readers toward the next book.

The entire story is a thrilling epic of unexpected and unexplainable events that kept me on the edge of my seat.  

An unforgettable story.

Christianbook.com

Crossroads of Awakening Memory by MD House

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The End Times Convergence, Book 1

Fifteen-year-old Rain Barynd thinks it was simply another training exercise when the Commander of the Council Guard leads the trainee unit miles away from New Haven. They end up in a battle that not everyone survives. Rain rescues the only survivor of a caravan, little knowing the impact that Antara will have on him.

Believing that she is dying, she gives Rain something magical that changes his life and his future. Further, when his hometown of New Haven is under attack, his commander sends him on an important mission.

Rain isn’t prepared for many of the adventures and battles yet the magical object and others seem to believe differently.

This YA Fantasy saga is an epic journey where some serve God faithfully. Magic, flying dragons, travel to other worlds, constant danger, and battles are a few of the surprises in store for readers.

There are many characters in various story locations. Readers will see that it is leading up to an epic confrontation. At times, the story reminded me of the Lord of the Rings Series.

The story leaves readers hanging at the end. They will want to discover what happens next.

This YA Fantasy was a page-turner for me. Highly recommend.

Amazon  

Waiting for Sunset by Starr Ayers

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Summer is Tomorrow, Book 1

Time Slip Novel

Current Day—Interior Designer Olivia Houston takes a working vacation on Sunset Beach to escape her grief over loving her husband the previous year. She walks to a Kindred Spirits mailbox on Sunset Beach where strangers are invited to write in the journals. Not only does she meet Charter Boat Captain Chase Evans on the walk, she also finds something that leads her and Chase on a search to the past.

1945—Sergeant Walter Larsen is on a ship home after the war ends, eager to see his wife and meet his daughter. He’s just as eager to keep his secret, for it can only hurt his wife. When a storm at sea threatens, he tosses a bottle with some items inside, hoping they will reach his family even if he perishes in the storm.

Loveable, believable characters endure many surprises, challenges, jealousy, and heartache in a myriad of twists and turns that kept me riveted to this well-written story.

The contemporary side of this story, where readers will wonder if Olivia’s relationship with Chase has a future, kept me turning pages. The heartache in the historical story and how the two stories collide make this a page-turner.

I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. Highly recommended.  

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Death Under the Ice by Deborah Sprinkle

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Trouble in Pleasant Valley, Book 4

Homeland Security Analyst Claire Green comes to her brother Alan’s Pleasant Valley home, but he’s missing. She asks for help from Alan’s neighbors, Police Captain Nate Zuberi and his wife, Madison. They invite her to supper along with Private Investigator Rafe O’Connell, her former boyfriend.

He’s the only man Claire has ever loved, but she must focus on finding her brother. Clues that Alan had been involved in illegal activities frighten her. Can they find him in time to save his life?

This well-written and fast-paced story grabbed my attention and held on. Suspenseful. Action-packed. Real, believable characters. I tried to solve the mystery along with the detectives. I didn’t guess correctly.

A page turner! Highly recommended for those who love action-packed cozy mysteries.

I’ll look for more books by this author!

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