COTT {Clash of The Titles} Women of Valley View by Sharon Srock

This week's featured New Release is Sharon Srock's latest,

Terri: Women of Valley View 2

Despite a bustling day care center and a new foster child, Terri Hayes hungers for a family of her own. Then a plumbing mishap leaves her homeless and questioning God's plan. Steve Evans's gracious offer of his basement apartment as a temporary solution is an answered prayer.

Steve is a successful writer and a good father, but Terri is horrified when Steve's book research leads him to a harsh confrontation with the parents of her foster child. She needs to distance herself from Steve, but her efforts fall short as his two scheming daughters plot to make Terri their new stepmother.

Will harsh words and sneaky plans drive a family further apart and put a wedge between Terri and Steve, or does God have another plan in store?

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Read the first 39 pages NOW!

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REVIEWS

Terri is a delightful story, the second book in Women of Valley View. The humor is great and the author had me bursting into laughter several times. The romance is delectable and I found myself sighing and rereading the sweet romance scenes between Terri and Steve. The storyline is so interesting, dealing with being a foster parent, and seeing the other side of the problem. The author doesn't portray the parents whose child is taken away as bad people, but someone who needs help. This is just a minor part of the story but it shows how social services can help people get back on their feet and be better parents. I have several favorite quotes from this book and here is one I'll share with you: "The workings of a woman's brain have been a mystery since Eve." By Linda Weaver Clarke 
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Terri is a single woman looking for "Mr. Right," and has been looking for him so long that she begins to go ahead with her plans in spite of not having found him, yet. There's someone on her mind, of course, but he has older children and a granddaughter, already, while Terri wants very much to have babies. So, she becomes a foster parent. In hopes that this will fulfill some of the desires of her heart whether she finds a husband, or not.

That's the premise. A lot of things happen to both thwart and encourage her, and one finds themselves reading to the last page just to see how everything turns out for everybody. It's a good read based on that alone. Very well-written, too. Ms. Srock brings people and place alive so vividly that you will actually recognize people you know there. Or at least wish you knew. But that isn't what makes it special.

What sets this book apart from most is the perspective. I might even go so far as to call it "the view." Like a movie running across the window of your mind, it gives you a front row seat to not only observe how Terri works out her problems, but how we can possibly apply those same methods to work on ours. Because that part of the story is real. Something you can take home with you.

Would I recommend the WOMEN OF VALLEY VIEW: TERRI? You bet. Because in my opinion, anytime you can walk away with something that valuable from an enjoyable piece of entertainment makes it priceless. Which is why I think everyone should meet the "Women of Valley View." By 

Lilly Maytree

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I am not much of a reader and I have never done a book review before so here goes nothing. A book really has to grab my attention first off to keep me engaged. Terri accomplished this without question! I love Terri and how "real" she is. You can really feel her inner struggle and her desire to follow God's will. However, she is human, and as we all do at times, her idea of the way things should go and idea of what she thought she needed, conflicted with what God had in mind. After some pretty harsh reality checks, a few ugly pity parties and a couple of scheming teenagers, Terri see's that what God had for her was way better than what she ever could have imagined. I felt the story flowed well and did a great job of making each character personal. I really felt that I knew these people. I was on edge and feared for Sean and Ella's marriage, when Steve got tough with Sean. I loved that this book showed that although God is a loving God, there are sometimes he uses tough love to get his point across. The love Steve shows Sean by being straight with him was hard and almost cost him his relationship with Terri. Regardless he followed God's leading and his obedience was rewarded. Not only does he get the girl, he gets to be part of the miracle that helps to bring a broken, young, on the run from God's call on his life, Sean, back to Christ. As a result we witness the healing of a broken family. I appreciated how this book shows us that even when we can't see, God does. By 1emmons

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of the ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon's previous writing credits include numerous poems and short stories published in science fiction fanzines.

For the latest news from Sharon, and details about the other Valley View women, check out her website! 

Amazon -- http://tinyurl.com/9dreu8g

Pelican Books -- http://tinyurl.com/8ncbjnl

Barnes and Noble—http://tinyurl.com/9ahy3tg

Be sure to visit www.clashofthetitles.com for more recommendations for your Summer reading! 

{Kregel Blog Tour} Bible Stories Painting Book 2, Paint Palette included

Book Description:  Bible Stories Painting Book 1 and Bible Stories Painting Book 2 are two fantastic painting books are easy to use with no mess involved! Each book has sixteen scenes from the Old and New Testaments with a simple line of text explaining the picture. Simply dip your brush in water, wipe over the paint pallets on the inside covers and fill in the illustrations with bright, bold colors!

My Thoughts:  I love these kinds of "workbooks" for young hands!  Why?!? First of all, it's an all inclusive book.  The paints are inside the front and back covers, the story is at the bottom the the pages and the child can easily paint the pictures.

Since there are four pages of paints, I cut one page of colors off and placed a paper towel under the paint so that the paint didn't come off on the table.  By.the.way our table is covered in a plastic tablecloth so that the paint colors aren't painting the table too.  The plastic makes it nice for any water spills, too.

This paint book has a sentence at the bottom of each page that tells about that picture . . . so it's not a story book or even telling a Bible story.  It's a piece of the whole picture.  But this makes a nice way to tell a story and then let the child paint the "important" part.

I love using these books in our Children's Church Department.  I let each child have a book and since there are eight front and back pages I cut the paints out.  Each child then paints two front pages, saving the next pages for later and saving the paints also makes for more painting later.

I have found that doing the above also works well with just one child  too since young children tend to paint quickly.  This way the book can easily lasts through four painting times.

This is a great book for babysitters and  grandparents to have on hand or for a rainy day activity by bored little ones!  Just add water!

*This book was provided for review by Kregel Publications*

• Publisher: Candle Books (April 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1859859798
• ISBN-13: 978-1859859797

Rosemary Cottage (The Hope Beach Series #2) by Colleen Coble

Book Description:  Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .

The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.

Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.

Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?

My Thoughts:  When I see a book penned by Colleen Coble I grab it because I know it's going to be good, no great story! 

Well, I didn't read Tidewater Inn the book that preceded Rosemary Cottage simply because I didn't know it was out but a friend told me not to worry because she felt that these books are stand alone reads . . . so taking her word for it . . . I began Rosemary Cottage.

When a story begins with a mystery you know it's going to be good.  

Amy receives a letter from a "friend" telling her/warning her that her brother's death may not be all that it seemed.  Ben, her brother, it seems may have been murdered.  Amy hasn't accepted that Ben's death was an accident but as she begins her own investigation will it be more than she bargained for?!?!  Do we really know those that are close to us?  Or do we all hide things and have secrets?  

Thus, begins the intrigue and mystery.  

Not to worry, Amy is not alone.  Enter . . . Curtis Ireland a Coast Guard officer and with a mystery of his own to solve.  Amy and Curtis both have secrets but will love override their differences?  

A great read with secrets, mystery and intrigue!  And the interesting side note that Amy is a midwife.  

A not to missed read by Colleen Coble readers!  A fantastic read!!

*This book was provided for review by BookSneeze*

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 9, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595547827
• ISBN-13: 978-1595547828

Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morris

Book Description:  “He’s a gambler at best. A con artist at worst,” her aunt had said of the handlebar-mustached man who snatched Ella Wallace away from her dreams of studying art in France. Eighteen years later, that man has disappeared, leaving Ella alone and struggling to support her three sons. While the world is embroiled in World War I, Ella fights her own personal battle to keep the mystical Florida land that has been in her family for generations from the hands of an unscrupulous banker. When a mysterious man arrives at Ella’s door in an unconventional way, he convinces her he can help her avoid foreclosure, and a tenuous trust begins. But as the fight for Ella’s land intensifies, it becomes evident that things are not as they appear. Hypocrisy and murder soon shake the coastal town of Apalachicola and jeopardize Ella’s family.

My Thoughts:  Man in the Blue Moon by Michael Morris is a somewhat.different.kind.of.read for me.  I decided to read this book because it was on my summer reading list and when our church librarian handed it to me I actually looked at the cover and because it looked uninteresting I set it down for a couple of days.  Then one evening I picked it up to peruse it and after reading the first chapter I thought, Wow!  this is one unusual book.

Ella caught my interest because she is so typical of "that young girl" who can be sweet talked into marriage to that so not so good guy.  Poor Ella!  left holding the bag but then that unknown man arrives to help Ella.

A lot of southernisms in this read that make it all so real.

Mystery, intrigue and everyday problems that make for an unusual type of story but Oh!what!a!story!

*Tyndale* Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Tyndale House Books; First Edition edition (August 15, 2012) Language: English ISBN-10: 9781414368429 ISBN-13: 978-1414368429 ASIN: 1414368429

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} Honey-Baked Almond Brittle

Lot long ago I posted about Sheri Shepherd's book, If You Have a Craving, I Have a Cure?  See book review HERE!
 Today I'm sharing one of her good and healthy recipes...It Works For Me!  

HONEY-BAKED ALMOND BRITTLE
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
1 cup almonds
Dash sea salt
{I added a cup of sunflower seeds for added crunchiness!}
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat honey in microwave for 30 seconds.
3. In a bowl, pour honey over almonds (& sunflower seeds) and mix evenly so every almond is coated.
4. Coat sheet with non-stick spray, spreads almonds on cookie sheet, and sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or to desired taste. Let cool, and enjoy!

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Book Description:  A Story of Love That Won't Let Go - No Matter What!

California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening comes overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does…the One who will never let her go.

A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.

My Thoughts:  Redeeming Love is an "older" book (2005), an author and a read that I somehow missed all these years.  Oh! I've heard of Francine Rivers I've just never read any of her books.    

But now that I've remedied the situation let me tell you about Redeeming Love!

Wow! I suggest that you read the book of Hosea in the Bible first  before reading this story.  The book of Hosea will give the reader the "background" for Angel and Michael's lives.  Because this grand read is all about the love a "real" man has for his wife.

Poor Angel all she has felt is betrayal...sold into prostitution as a child she doesn't know what "real" love is.  Love that goes to the soul.   Always feeling used and cheated, Angel lives on hatred.  Actually hatred seems to be the only emotion poor Angel knows.

 Part of this read did make me tear up.  I could just imagine the love that Michael Hosea has for Angel.  But Angel doesn't know how to accept his love or his devotion.  

One powerful read!

There is also a six part reading group guide at the very back of the book. A scripture reference is given and then some questions.  I didn't have a reading group so I just jotted down my answers and thought about God's love for His wayward people.  Such a redeeming love!

*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook/Multnomah*

• Paperback: 479 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books; Paperback with Study Guide edition (May 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590525132
• ISBN-13: 978-1590525135
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches

HAPPY THIS YEAR!: The Secret to Getting Happy Once and for All by Will Bowen

Book Description:  A practical, yet inspirational work that proposes it’s the inner world of our psyches that determines happiness, not outside forces. We have control over our own happiness and this powerful book offers concrete advice on how to tap into it and nourish it all year round. The author focuses explicitly on the positive ways we can establish a higher set-point in our thoughts, speech, and actions, resulting in greater sustainable levels of happiness. Regardless of what the year and your life may bring, we can become measurably and sustainably happier.

My Thoughts:  Unfortunately, we all have the empty belief that certain things will make us happy.

If I'm thinner or as thin as my friend I'm sure I'd be happier.  (I think I've said this a hundred plus times this year.)  Not so!  It's true that happiness is an inside job.

Will Bowen gives us some good advice on page 168, "Further, happy people see negative events as not being personal, pervasive, or permanent."  Happy people are also healthy people as Mr. Bowen points out on page 169.  Interestingly enough it's important to maintain your own health to maintain your happiness.  I know that this may seem contradictory because many people with incurable diseases seem happy but I think that Mr. Bowen is talking about the everyday person.  

Another interesting fact that he brings out is that happy people spend less time watching TV and being on the internet.  *I know this is true!  Our family chose to quit watching TV for six months and we were happier.  Now we only watch TV occasionally.

One sentence sums up this book for me: We make/choose our own happiness.  Yes, we ultimately choose which paths in life we are pursuing so go down your path with happiness and laughter!  

*This book was provided for review by B & B Media*

About the Author:

Will Bowen is an author and speaker who has been featured on/in "Oprah," NBC's "Today Show," ABC's "World News Tonight," CBS "Sunday Morning," "Fox News," "The Wall Street Journal," "Newsweek," "People," "O," "Self," "Chicken Soup for the Soul" and in hundreds of media stories around the world.
His first two books, "A Complaint Free World" (now expanded and updated) and "Complaint Free Relationships" are international best-sellers having sold more than 2 million copies around the world.
A Complaint Free World, the non-profit organization Will founded, has sent more than 10 million Complaint Free bracelets to 106 countries.
Bowen speaks to organizations helping them shift their focus from negative complaining and fault-finding to positive problem-solving leading to happier employees and even happier customers. Clients include:
*The Million Dollar Roundtable's "Top of the Table"
* Volvo Motor Company
* PriceWaterhouseCoopers
* The Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA)
* Pratt & Whitney
* Kimberly Clark
Bowen's newest book, "Happy This Year!" demonstrates the power we have in setting and achieving higher levels of happiness regardless of what life may bring. The book is being packaged with a free Smartphone app allowing the reader to set a happiness level goal and measure his or her progress toward that goal.
The app is called "HappyStat" and is available for Iphone, Android and Kindle at www.HappyThisYear.com.
Web sites:
HappyThisYear.com
AComplaintFreeWorld.org
WillBowen.com

• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Grand Harbor Press; Unabridged edition (April 9, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1611098955
• ISBN-13: 978-1611098952

• Hardcover: 215 pages
• Publisher: Grand Harbor Press; Unabridged edition (April 9, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1611098955
• ISBN-13: 978-1611098952