Delivered With Love by Sherry Kyle

Book Description:  An old love letter found in the glove compartment of a young woman's inherited 1972 Volkswagen propels her to leave her life in Los Angeles and go to the small town of Capitola, California. There her dream of finding the writer of the letter leads her on an unexpected journey that changes her life forever.

Claire James, age twenty-three, is ready to make it on her own.  When she's fired from her job as a waitress and subsequently kicked out of her sister's home, she sees it as an opportunity to start over.  But even before moving, a thirty-five-year-old love letter written to her mother keeps Claire stuck in the past.  Michael Thompson, a middle-aged real estate agent, wants to keep the past where it belongs--at least until his grown daughter is married.  But, then a young woman comes to town . . .

My Review:  I enjoy a chick lit read!  Delivered with Love is about Claire a twenty-three year old who has been the primary caregiver of her gravely ill mother.  When her mother dies from a long bout with cancer Claire's sister "kicks" her out of her home because Claire can't pay the rent.

Claire figures this is a good time to move on and find out all about "the letter" that she found after her mother's death.  So, Claire heads out. 

Her story creates a "map" as she finds new people who help Claire to find a little bit of herself along each path.

All along the road of life Claire suffers with feelings of inadequacy, her fears and her low self esteem but at each "stop" little by little Claire comes to grips with being who God created her to be.

Of course, there's romance and the mystery of the letter Claire found.  

This read starts out slowly but it does keep one's interest in finding out about the letter and where Claire will end up in life.

A light, fun read!

*This ebook was provided for review by NetGalley and Abingdon Press*

Buy HERE!

About the Author:

Sherry Kyle is a graduate of Biola University with a degree in Communications, and a minor in Bible. Her book for tween girls titled The Christian Girl's Guide to Style all about beauty, fashion, and character will be released from Legacy Press in September 2010. And her debut contemporary novel, Delivered with Love, will be released from Abingdon Press in the Spring 2011. Sherry and her husband have four children, three biological and one by adoption. When she isn't writing, she enjoys jazz concerts, watching movies, reading and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in California. You can find her on the web at: www.sherrykyle.com

Something Old Plain City Bridesmaids Series 1 by Dianne Christner

"Are we the same person on the inside that others see on the outside?"

Book Description:  Travel to Plain City, Ohio, to witness the Mennonite and English culture clash. As Katy Yoder accepts a new job and struggles to define her place in the world, childhood friends and a past romance get in the way. Even when her friends try to help her change her judgmental attitude, Katy is certain that seeing things as black and white is the only way to please God. But as love softens her heart, slowly shades of gray seep into her world, and she discovers the right answer isn’t always the easiest one.

My Review:  Megan and Katie are good friends, who though from different worlds, met at summer camp and made a pledge to keep in touch and always remain friends.  

Katie is from the Mennonite community and Megan is English.  

Katie's needs/wants her parent's permission to find another job.  Katie cleans houses and cooks as her chosen profession since "conservative girls didn't leave home until they married, unless they attended bible college."

Katie speaks with her mom about her dream to move to the old doddy house with her friends.  Katie wants to live with her Amish cousins and have her own life---something the girls have planned for years.  Her mom wants her to marry.  But her dad gives her a challenge....she must go on three dates with David Miller before she'll be allowed to leave. 

Katie agrees.  How hard will it be to just go out three times?

Then Jake Byler comes back...the wild boy who broke Katie's heart.  Katie is mad, "It's all your fault Jake Byler.  You've ruined me for everybody else."

This is one of those captivating reads that takes the reader back to slower times but where the heart still needs true love.

Katie, Magan, Jake and David make for a fantastic story!

This is a "different" kind of read ---- mixing the Mennonite, Amish and English together bring us a true to life read!  Throughout the story, Katie keeps a journal of cleaning tips and recipes, hand cream remedies, other recipes, and spiritual insights. Her journal is shared at the end of the book. If you're a fan of Amish or Mennonite inspirational romances, don't miss this light, fun read!  Great for summertime reading enjoyment!

*This read was provided for review by NetGalley and Barbour Publishing*

About the Author:

Dianne Christner lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Her Mennonite background brings authenticity to her new contemporary series about the plain people. Before this, she had several historical fictions published. Dianne is a member of Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Writers of the West, and National Association of Professional Women. She invites you to visit her website and blog.

Mine Is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs

Book Description:  Stepping from a battered coach on a rainy April eve, newly widowed Elisabeth Kerr must begin again, without husband or title, property or fortune. She is unafraid of work and gifted with a needle, but how will she stitch together the tattered remnants of her life? And who will mend her heart, torn asunder by betrayal and deception?

Elisabeth has not come to Selkirk alone. Her mother-in-law, Marjory Kerr, is a woman undone, having buried her husband, her sons, and any promise of grandchildren. Dependent upon a distant cousin with meager resources, Marjory dreads the future almost as much as she regrets the past. Yet joy still comes knocking, and hope is often found in unexpected places.

Then a worthy hero steps forward, rekindling a spark of hope. Will he risk his reputation to defend two women labeled as traitors to the Crown?

The heartrending journey of the Kerr women comes to a glorious finish in Mine Is the Night, a sparkling gem of redemption and restoration set in eighteenth-century Scotland.

My Review:  Liz Curtis Higgs is another author who writes a novel that is definitely worthy of reading.

In Mine Is the Night Marjory and Elizabeth are two women whose lives seem to loosely parallel the lives of Naomi and Ruth.  Marjory struggles with sudden and extreme poverty; whereas; Elizabeth struggles with trusting men and even trusting her own heart.  

The book is set in Scotland around 1746.  The characters are realistic and have very real.to.life.battles.  But they (especially) the two women are Christians who pray and seek God's counsel to help them through their trials.  God's faithfulness is shown to all peoples in this wonderful read.

This is a historical read and therefore, a somewhat slow read but very interesting and factual.  Some Scottish words are used but this creates the story and does not detract from the story of Marjory and Elizabeth.  There is a glossary in the back to look up the meaning of these words-no bad/foul language!

Of course, this is a romantic read....great, sweet romance.  (well, like Boaz and Ruth).

This is the second and last book in this series.  But I didn't read the first book, Here Burns My Candle, and I wasn't lost.  This is truly a stand-alone read.

A well written and enjoyable read!  

*This book was provided by Waterbrook Press/Multnomah Publishing*

About the Author:

Liz Curtis Higgs is the author of 28 books with three million copies in print, including: her best-selling historical novels, Here Burns My Candle, Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, Christy Award-winner Whence Came a Prince, Grace in Thine Eyes, a Christy Award finalist, and Here Burns My Candle, a RT Book Reviews Award finalist; My Heart’s in the Lowlands: Ten Days in Bonny Scotland, An Armchair Travel Guide to Galloway; and her contemporary novels, Mixed Signals, a Rita Award finalist, and Bookends, a Christy Award finalist.

Visit the author's website. You’ll also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Buy BOOK HERE!

Blind Trust by Terri Blackstock

Book Description:  Two weeks before he was to marry Sherry Grayson, Clint Jessup disappeared without a trace. Now, suddenly, eight months later, he's back with no word of explanation. Only an impossible request: trust him. Trust him despite the devastating past. . .and an inexplicable and increasingly frightening present. Whatever secret Clint is hiding, it's changed him. And it's about to change Sherry, sweeping her and Clint into a terrifying whirlpool of pursuit and intrigue--one where death and deliverance teeter on a razor edge of circumstance that can either restore or forever destroy Sherry's faith not only in Clint, but in others, and perhaps in God himself. Blind Trust is part of the Second Chances series by award-winning suspense novelist Terri Blackstock. Combining fast-paced reading with realistic characters and situations, Second Chances takes readers to where the conflict between good and evil becomes the proving grounds of faith.

My Review:  In my opinion, Terri Blackstock is the "queen of christian suspense!"  Blind Trust is one of her "older" books and is copyrighted in 1997. Also, the third book in the Second Chance series.  With that said, somehow I missed this fantastic series!  

Blind Trust starts out with excitement and the suspense just keeps building!  

Sherry Grayson was two weeks away from becoming the bride of Clint Jessup when Clint up.and.disappeard-without a trace!

Sherry grieved for eight agonizingly long months....finally believing that Clint would be forever gone.  When he suddenly reappears!

Clint has a secret and he can't share it with Sherry right now but he needs Sherry's "blind trust" in this situation.  Sherry fights her "inner truth."  Until all the facts start coming together and she begins to see the case that Clint is up against.

Then there is Sherry's room mate, Madeline.  Madeline, inadvertently, gets caught up in Sherry's action and drawn into the suspense.  Madeline has a calm sense of what is right and keeps telling Sherry "to trust."

Clint's "bodyguard" and good friend, Sam, is an enigma.  Sam keeps Clint level headed and watches Clint's back.  Sam sings off tune, not really caring if the words are correct---he sings for stress relief.

I thought I had the story "all figured out" and then "boom!"  the truth is presented! This makes for a great mystery/suspense read!

Trusting God, sweet romance and faith are also parts of this incredible read.

Loved, loved this book!  As the saying goes, "an oldie but goodie!"

*This book was provided for review by Zondervan*

Buy HERE!

About the Author: 

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual "new kid," her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they're not alone, and that their trials have a purpose.
In 1994 Terri was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. As she was praying about her transition, she went on a cruise and noticed that almost everyone on the boat (including her) had a John Grisham novel. It occurred to her that some of Grisham's readers were Christians, and that if she wrote a fast-paced thriller with an added faith element, she might just find her niche. As God would have it, Christian publishers were showing interest in the suspense genre, so she quickly sold a four-book series to Zondervan. Since that time, she's written over thirty Christian titles, most of them suspense novels.
Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers' online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She's currently working on Book Three.
Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn's Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.
Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Peach/Blueberry Cobbler

I simply love cobbler!  And this is a great recipe from the Food Network!

Ingredients

• 1 prepared pie crust sheet
• 2 (1 pound) bags frozen peaches, slightly thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• Sugar cubes, crushed for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll pastry to fit a 2-quart oval baking dish. In a large bowl, combine peaches and blueberries. Mix in flour, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and butter cubes. Pour into the baking dish and cover with pastry. Using a fork, cut off excess dough and create a decorative edge by pressing tines along edge of pan and pushing down. With a paring knife, cut 3 slices on top of the pastry to vent. Brush on egg wash and dust with sugar. Bake until golden brown on top and edges are bubbling, about 45 to 50 minutes.

COTT: Clash Of The Titles....

Guest post by Michelle Massaro
The winner of this week's COTT battle is....

  

Joanne Sher!

Joanne joins the notable COTT Conquerors family as a pre-published author. Her writing passion is Biblical and historical fiction—paving rough roads with God’s presence. Joanne says her dream is to be able to submit to Clash of The Titles as a published author. We are confident that day will come.

Find her at http://www.joannesher.com/

Her winning excerpt came from her manuscript entitled Handmaiden to a Princess:
“Don't you have to leave now?” Mama took a sip of water and looked out at the sun. Rivka's eyes followed her mother's. The colors of the sunrise were already beginning to fade into the blue of the Israeli sky.
Rivka nodded. “Good bye, Mama. Off to the gardens.” She half-jogged toward the next part of her morning ritual.
Rivka’s sandals flip-flopped on the dirt, her steps brisk and light. The scents of the lilies of the valley and hyacinths slowed her pace the closer she got. The grass before her, still touched with the last of the morning’s dew, slapped against the sides of her sandals. She stopped, closed her eyes, and took in a long, slow breath.
Aroma fit for royalty.

read the full excerpt, and that of her most worthy competitor, Mary Hall, here. 

Some reader comments:
I felt that excerpt 'A' was really good in that the little girl was so a part of the description.
I want to go walk in the garden!
I felt the soil in my hands, and smelled the fragrance of flowers in the air. Lovely!
I could see and smell the flowers

About her win, Joanne said:
WOW - I'm SO excited! What an honor. And what a FUN clash it's been.
Like the other members of the COTT family of authors, Joanne and Mary both praised each other's work and exuded a Christ-like spirit throughout the competition.
 
Get to know Joanne through her interview with her COTT hostess, Gail Pallotta here.

Congratulations, Joanne! We can't wait to see you in print!

Join us at COTT for our next Clash. Vote for your favorite and be entered to win a free book. Have a book or theme suggestion? Send it in! Have you written the next blockbuster hit? Send us your 500 best words. We want to hear from you. 

bio: Michelle Massaro is Assistant Editor for the literary website Clash of the Titles. She has written for The Write Conversation, Pentalk, COF Ministries, and Romantic Times. She and her husband of 16 years live in sunny So Cal with their four children. Above all, she is a follower of Christ Jesus, unashamed to stand upon the Word of God from beginning to end. Connect with her on her blog, twitter @MLMassaro, and Facebook.




For His glory,
Michelle Massaro, COTT Assistant Editor
Adventures In Writing
Clash of the Titles

Happy Independence Day!