Review: Big Sky Summer

Big Sky Summer

About the Book:

With his father's rodeo legacy to continue and a prosperous spread to run, Walker Parrish has no time to dwell on wrecked relationships. But country-western sweetheart Casey Elder is out of the spotlight and back in Parable, Montana. And Walker can't ignore that his "act now, think later" passion for Casey has had consequences. Two teenage consequences! 

Keeping her children's paternity under wraps has always been part of Casey's plan to give them normal, uncomplicated lives. Now the best way to hold her family together seems to be to let Walker be a part of it-as her husband of convenience. Or will some secrets-like Casey's desire to be the rancher's wife in every way-unravel, with unforeseen results?

My Comments:

The premise is on the unrealistic side--two times they were intimate, two times they took the normal precautions and two times it failed and kids were the result.  Walker was in the kids' lives as a family friend but now that they are living in the neighborhood he wants more--he wants to be a dad and a husband.  

Casey lost her parents when she was young and was raised by emotionally distant grandparents and loving servants.  Her music is her life and she wasn't willing to give it up to marry Walker, even if she was pregnant. However, the third time the balloon broke....

I liked the story.  Linda Lael Miller tells a face-paced fun romantic story even if it doesn't make sense and honestly, other than the fact that they were both nice people, I don't see what these two saw in each other.  Even they say they get along better in the bedroom than out--and yes,  we are in the bedroom with them.  I look forward to seeing Walker's sister married off in a future book.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley  Grade:  B-

Question:

When does "no" really mean "yes", or put another way, do actions speak louder than words?  If I tell a guy I don't want to be intimate with him, is it ok for him to physically try to change my mind, not by attacking me and overpowering me with superior strength but rather by seducing me?  Does the fact that I put myself in a situation in which intimacy is likely to happen make any difference?  At one point in this book Casey says she doesn't want to be intimate with Walker.  At that point they were sleeping together.  He managed to change her  mind.  He never forced himself on her, but by starting things (and she didn't protest) he went against her previously stated desires.  

Blog Tour: Catch a Falling Star

Catch a Falling Star: A Novel

About the Book:

Is life about accomplishing plans . . . or wishes coming true . . . or something more?

Dr. Kendall Haynes’s plans to have it all—a career, a husband, a family—are eluding her. Now that she’s thirty-six, she needs to stop wishing upon a star and face reality: Some dreams just never come true.

Air Force pilot Griffin Walker prefers flying solo in the air and on the ground—until a dangerous choice ejects him from the cockpit. His life becomes even more complicated after the sudden death of his parents makes him the guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother. There’s no way his life will ever get back on course now.

When their lives collide during a near tragedy, Kendall and Griffin must decide if they can embrace the unexpected changes God has waiting for them.

My Comments:
I really liked both main characters in this book.  Both are very intelligent professionally successful people.  Both have had some real problems in their personal lives.  Both are afraid of being hurt; both eventually...
As an older couple (late 30's) they have to work at integrating established lives and deciding whether their lives can be meshed.

While I wouldn't call the book preachy, it is definitely Christian fiction and has too much religion if you don't like religion with your fiction.

I'd like to thank the folks at Litfuse for sending me a review copy.  Grade:  B+

Celebrate the release of Catch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogt by entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.

  One "lucky" winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)
• Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Catch a Falling Star" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Catch a Falling Star and join Beth on the evening of June 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!

Blog Tour: Undeniably Yours

Undeniably Yours: a novel

About the Book:

When Meg Cole's father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted--more interested in art than in oil--she's forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father's empire.

The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father's thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.

Bo's determined to resent the woman who's decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them--her wealth, his unworthiness, her family's outrage--and earn the right to love her.

But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their love--and their belief that God can work through every circumstance--survive?

My Comments:

While I liked the two main characters of this rather religious Christian romance I found the whole story unbelievable.  Meg is the poor little rich girl who only wants to be like everybody else, so she leaves home after college, gets a "normal" job and lives on the paycheck .  When called home after her father's death, she now has to manage his oil company and her uncle won't allow her to pass the job to him--just because he is qualified to run an oil company and she isn't.  The climax scene got very unrealistic as well--I won't say more.  

Becky Wade does a  good job of presenting the theme of responding to the vocation God has given you--whether or not that vocation is what other people would have you do.  

I 'd like to thank the publisher for making a complimentary review copy available for this tour.  Grade:  B-

Becky Wade is celebrating her latest swoon-worthy novel, Undeniably Yours (Bethany House), with a Kindle Fire giveaway and hosting an Author Chat party on Facebook {5/29}!

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Undeniably Yours and My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Undeniably Yours" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 29th. Connect with Becky for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Becky will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Undeniably Yours and join Becky on the evening of May 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

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

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. We are a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share our best posts with each other. To participate, go to your blog and create a post titled Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. In it, discuss and link to your posts for the week--whether they deal with theology, Catholic living or cute Catholic kids. I'm mostly a book blogger so my posts are generally book reviews, some Catholic, some not. Make sure that post links back here; some folks are forgetting that! Once you publish it, come back here and leave a link below.

We also have a yahoogroup; signing up for it will get you one weekly reminder to post.  Click here to sign up.

I have two posts this week.  The first is about a devotional Bible for women.  The second is a book about a man whose wife went missing. 

First Wildcard: NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card Insight Notes author is:

Lysa TerKeurst

and the book:

NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women,
Insights for Everyday Life Notes

Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life's balance in spite of today's hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you---women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.

Product Details:
List Price: $34.99
Hardcover: 1536 pages
Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310439361
ISBN-13: 978-0310439363

AND NOW...SOME SAMPLE PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO ENLARGE):

My Comments:
I've been enjoying the devotional pages in this Bible, though I haven't gotten through very many of them.  This edition does lack the Deuterocanonical books.

Review: The Face of the Earth

The Face of the Earth: A Novel

About the Book:

When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye one morning, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.” Hours later, Jill still hasn’t returned, and Mitch’s irritation turns to dread.

When the police come up empty, Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, to help search. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer––and decidedly more complicated. Every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.

My Comments:

None of  us like death, but at least with death you know where you stand.  In this book Mitch doesn't know where he stands.  When his wife disappears the police question him as if he might be the reason for her disappearance, or whether she chose to disappear.  As they look into clues Mitch  finds he has his moments of doubt--doubt she will be found, doubt about their marriage, doubt about himself.  In a non-preachy manner this book looks at what fidelity means in a Christian marriage and at what point the bond of marriage is broken.  It is a book about people of faith, about churchgoers who pray, but it is also a book about very real, very human people.  I enjoyed this book, which I received through Edelwiess and recommend it.  Grade:  B+.

Deborah is celebrating with a fun "Date Night" Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

   One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the "The Face of the Earth" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Face of the Earth and join Deborah on the evening of May 30th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!