A Love Like Ours: My Review

Fall in love with Becky Wade's new book, A Love Like Ours, a story of healing, romance, and cowboys. A glimmer of the hope Jake thought he’d lost returns when Lyndie lands back in Texas, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

To celebrate the release of her new book, Becky is giving away a $100 cash card and a book-inspired prize pack!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $100 cash card
• A copy of A Love Like Ours
• A copy of the Secretariat DVD
• A scarf
• A dog-tag/cross keychain
• A pair of earrings
• A Scarf
• A Texas-shaped cutting board
• A Jake Porter mug

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 26th. Winner will be announced May 27th on Becky's site.

Review

Some Chrisian romances are nothing but clean romances between people who happend to go to church. Others are stories of the characters' spiritual lives that happen to have some romance thrown in. Finally, there are stories that preach a strong conversion sermon while telling a good romantic story, which  is what this book does.  Jake and Lyndie were childhood best friends until her family moved far from their Texas home.  Both moved on with life; he became a Marine and was injured on duty and now suffers with PTSD.  She is an artist and illustrator who really wants to be a jockey.  Now he owns a horse ranch and her family has returned to Texas.  She is about thirty and while a part of her wants a husband, she is comfortable not being married.  He does not want to get close to anyone.  
I liked watching these two become re-acquainted and I loved the way Becky Wade made Lyndie's handicapped sister a source of healing.  All too often in our society those deemed imperfect are cast aside, yet I've known families that were truly blessed by children who were severely handicapped.  
The book is part of a series and there are times those who have not read the first book, Undeniably Yours, will wonder why some of the characters even make an appearance in this book, but A Love Like Ours stands well on its own.
I'd like to thank Litfuse for sending me a complimentary review copy.  Grade: B.

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!

My Stubborn Heart: Blog Tour

Sometimes there is too much of a good thing--like complimentary review copies, and I forget who sent me what, or what I was supposed to do.  I received a copy of My Stubborn Heart from the nice folks at Litfuse and instead of holding my review until the tour, I published it when I finished the book.  You can read it here.    You can see what other bloggers think by going to the blog tour page.

Like most blog tours, this one comes with goodies!

Win a Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ in Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and RSVP for FB Party {5/24}! Celebrate with Becky by entering her My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 5/24!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand New Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™
• A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate
• A copy of My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 24th. Winner will be announced at the "My Stubborn Heart" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/24. Becky will be hosting an book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of My Stubborn Heart and join Becky on the evening of the May 24th for a chance to meet Becky 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 and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

My Stubborn Heart: My Review

About the Book:

A Sensational CBA Debut in Contemporary Romance!  This summer author Becky Wade makes her CBA debut with a fun -- and funny -- contemporary romance.  Amidst the light-hearted banter and laugh-out-loud moments is a compelling spiritual journey of one woman's choice to listen to God and wait on him.  Filled with humor and authentic romance, My Stubborn Heart is shaping up to be the hit of the summer.

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When Kate's grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

Yet, she discovers a different kind of project upon meeting the man hired to renovate the house.  Matt Jarreau is attractive and clearly wounded -- hiding from people, from God, and from his past.  Kate can't help but set her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light... whether he likes it or not.

My Comments:

As Catholics, we believe marriage is a vocation, a calling from God, and that like other callings such as those to the priesthood or religious life (convent, monastery etc.) that call is not given to all, but for those to whom it is given, it is a way to holiness, a way to God.  As spouses united in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, we called to help our spouses get to heaven.  That's what it says in the books, but for many people, marriage is seen as a right, not a calling, and it is lived as a way to gain personal happiness, not as a way to help our spouses to heaven.  That may be the reason there are so many broken marriages.

Kate Donovan in this book wants to be married, but she wants to be married to the man God picked for her.  She's not completely abnormal--Kate has dated, she'd had serious relationships, and she's  had her heart broken.  Kate doesn't want to be hurt, but when she feels God telling her to befriend Matt, she puts herself on the line and does so.  As they grow closer, she still holds back, she still can't believe someone like him would want someone like her.  She listens to God and even obeys when she doesn't like what she hears.  

If you don't like religious books, this one is too religious for you.   Matt has to find his way back to God before they can live happily ever after, and Kate has her moments of questioning Him too.  While much more a romance novel than a book about religious faith, the two are very intertwined, though I wouldn't call the book preachy.  

One interesting facet of the book is that besides the romance between Matt and Kate, there was also a romance between a couple of senior citizens.  I liked the way the woman told Kate that once you realized you could be happy alone, you could become very picky about the guys you dated.  

I enjoyed this book and would like to think the publisher, Bethany House, for making a review copy available.  I was not obligated to provide a positive review.