Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Love Letters... a book review

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The Love Letters


Available March 2015

Bethany House Publishing

Christian fiction / Amish fiction

ISBN: 978-0-7642-1246-8




Publisher's Description:
Marlena Wenger's life takes an unexpected turn on the day she learns she must care for her estranged sister's baby.  Spending the summer in Brownstown, Pennsylvania, to assist her Mennonite grandmother, and miles from Marlena's Old Order Amish beau, she feels out of her element in nearly every respect.  Yet Marlena determines to do her best and stay focused on her future, even as those hopes become drastically altered.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
I have always enjoyed Beverly Lewis' Amish stories.  Each one she pens allows me to learn more about their faith, love of family, and reliance on the Almighty.  The Love Letters opens the door a bit wider as I learned about sects that have broken from the Old Order faith - the Mennonites and New Order churches.  We meet not only Marlena and her family, but also the Bitners next door.  As "Small Jay" Bittner steps out in faith to befriend a homeless man, he unknowingly begins a chain of events that ultimately affect his whole family.

My rating: 4 out of 5
A


I received a complimentary copy of The Love Letters for my honest review.

Happy Reading,
    
    Ellen

Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Inn at Ocean's Edge... a book review

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The Inn at Ocean's Edge

A Sunset Cove Novel


Available: April 14, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4016-9026-7

Christian fiction / Mystery / Suspense / Romance

A story of family ties and love that binds them together...


Claire Dellamare unexpectedly joins her CEO father at the Hotel Tourmaline on the island of Folly Shoals, Maine, in hopes of closing a merger which would only increase their presence in the aviation world.  Yet, as she is checking in, she is overcome by a full blown panic attack.  What could trigger that in a place she had never been?  Or had she?


"In 1989, Claire Dellamare disappeared from her own fourth birthday party at the Hotel Tourmaline on the island of Folly Shoals, Maine.  She showed up a year later at the same hotel, with a note pinned to her dress but no explanation.  Nobody knows where Claire spent that year - and now, Claire didn't even know she had ever been missing" (back cover).


With flashes of memory and help from Luke, a Coast Guardsman whose mother went missing the same time Claire did, they begin their own investigation to uncover the truth surrounding Claire's and his mother's disappearance 25 years earlier.


I have enjoyed Colleen Coble's books in the past - Tidewater Inn, Seagrass Pier, Smitten, and Safe in His Arms.  But The Inn at Ocean's Edge has surpassed them all!  From the very first page until the closing paragraph, I was pulled into the mystery and suspense surrounding Claire and Luke.  Would they be able to solve this mystery before serious harm comes to Claire?  Why does the local law enforcement seem to be stonewalling?  Will her family survive the truth as it is slowly exposed?


My rating - 6 out of 5 stars   A+

Can I do that..... I sure can!


I received a complimentary copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge from Thomas Nelson Publisher and their BookLook Bloggers program for my honest review.


Happy reading,
   
          Ellen

Saturday, April 11, 2015

The Amish Clockmaker... a book review

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Which is more important - seeing your own family is taken care of or
helping another family who experienced personal tragedy in the past?


The Men of Lancaster Series, book 3
ISBN: 9780736957380
Available: February 2015


As Matthew Zook begins to expand his family’s Amish tack and feed store, he soon realized he does not own the one small plot of land he needs to make the expansion possible.  He quickly learns that the management building a resort next to his property has been trying to locate the previous owner to buy the land for their use.

To settle the dispute of the rightful owner of the land, Matthew must seek out Clayton Raber, the former owner of the store and land.  Yet, there is a dark cloud following Clayton.  His wife died under mysterious circumstances decades earlier and he was the arrested for her murder.  Although all charges were dropped, his family and church felt he was guilty.

Clayton left his church and family and was never seen again.  Now, Matthew must locate Clayton and try to convince him to sign the land over to him and not the resort.  With few leads to follow and Clayton’s family refusing to help, will Matthew locate Clayton before the resort does?

My rating:
A
4.5 out of 5 stars

I always enjoy reading about the Amish and their simple ways of living – add a mystery that spans decades, and you have a winner!  This story weaves in numerous subplots apart from locating the previous owner.  As Matthew begins his search, the readers get a wonderful glimpse into the lives of the Amish – their love of family and their strong faith in God.  I found myself cheering (silently, of course) Matthew on and felt the emotions of learning of one character’s battle with an often misunderstood mental illness. 

As much as I enjoyed the second book in the series, The Amish Blacksmith, I felt a deeper connection with the characters and storylines in The Amish Clockmaker.  Kudos to both Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner for a wonderful, insightful novel.   I look forward to reading the first book in The Men of Lancaster County Series: The Amish Groom.

I received a complimentary digital copy of The Amish Clockmaker from Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley for my honest review.


Happy Reading,


     Ellen
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