Surprised by Love by Julie Lessman

She can turn the head of the man who spurned her—

but can she turn his heart?

When Megan McClare left San Francisco to study in Paris, no one would accuse her of being poised and pretty. But on the other side of the Atlantic, this wallflower blossomed into a beauty with big dreams. When she returns to California and accepts an internship at the district attorney’s office, she’s thrilled that her life is taking shape. But the exciting opportunity quickly loses its glow when she discovers she’ll be working alongside Devin Caldwell, who mercilessly mocked her at school—and with whom she was hopelessly enamored.

Bram Hughes is the best friend to whom Megan has always turned for support and advice. But when she seeks his counsel about working with Devin Caldwell, Bram’s vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a little sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man?

Author: Julie Lessman

Publisher: Revell, 2014

Cover Photography and Design: Brandon Hill

My Review

Surprised by Love is the third novel in Lessman’s “The Heart of San Francisco” series. This story was sweet, torture. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time two love triangles battled for the best man to win. Lessman had a magnificent way of making me root for all the men, until their secrets are revealed. And there were a lot of dirty secrets. Then I was nail-biting to see if the wreckage could be salvaged. Another strong and lovely romance from Lessman with a goose bump-worthy moral. I’m definitely putting the rest of this series on my “to read” list. I give this book 4.5 stars!

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Award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series, Julie Lessman was

American Christian Fictions Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards. She has also garnered seventeen RWA and other awards and made Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction. Her book A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Reader’s Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. You can contact Julie and read excerpts from her books at julielessman.com.





At Bluebonnet Lake by Amanda Cabot

Her life is set to warp speed. His is slowing to a crawl.

But love has its own timing.

Marketing maven Kate Sherwood's world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is slow down to a crawl at Rainbow's End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. But she cannot deny her ailing grandmother's request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week (albeit fifty years ago). There Kate meets Greg Vange, the resort's handyman. But there's more to Greg than meets the eye--billions more, in fact, as he recently sold his successful software company and is at the resort in search of what's next for his life.

Kate isn't looking for romance, but she can't deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. She even starts to see potential in the rundown resort. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate's long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?

Amanda Cabot invites readers to step away from the pressures of the daily grind. They might be surprised by what they find at Rainbow's End.


Author: Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell, 2014
Cover Design: Peter Gloege, LOOK Design Studio
Cover Photo: Aimee Christenson


My Review
A cabin retreat away from the daily grind and demand of technology, a warm fireplace on a chilly evening--this was the scene as I read At Bluebonnet Lake on our fall break trip to Tennessee, the first book I've read by Amanda Cabot. So I was delighted to discover that getting away and rediscovering God and nature was exactly what this story was about. How fitting.

This book is the journey of two love stories from different generations, yet, despite the age gap, they all arrive at the same destination, in both life and love. Set in the Texas Hill Country, this slower pace of living will refresh and invigorate the reader while entertaining with satisfying romance. I gave this book 4 stars!

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With both parents avid readers, it's no surprise that Amanda Cabot learned to read at an early age.
From there it was only a small step to deciding to become a writer. Of course, deciding and becoming are two different things, as she soon discovered. Fortunately for the world, her first attempts at fiction, which included a play for her fifth grade class entitled "All About Thermometers," were not published, but she did meet her goal of selling a novel by her thirtieth birthday. Since then she's sold more than thirty novels under a variety of pseudonyms. When she's not writing, Amanda enjoys sewing, cooking and - of course - reading.

Learn more at amandacabot.com

Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould

Can Bea and Ben turn rivalry into romance?

Beatrice Zook knows God wants her to learn patience toward others. When assisting a family overwhelmed by triplets proves surprisingly successful, her confidence in dealing with others, both young and old, grows.

One person she'll never be able to find peace with though is Ben Rupp. They've known each other forever, and Ben understands precisely how to antagonize her. What neither she nor Ben will admit is that beneath all their bickering, attraction awaits. When friends decide to try and bring the couple together, will the pair be able to find true love? Or will they damage their relationship beyond repair?


Publisher: Bethany House, 2014
Cover Photography: Mike Habermann Photography, LLC
Cover Design: Jennifer Parker


My Review
In all honesty, I normally shy away from Amish fiction. The few Amish stories I have picked in the past left me less than satisfied, therefore I tend to gravitate toward other genres instead. However, I hadn't read anything by Leslie Gould yet and the cover was gorgeous, so I chose this book to review. The result? It definitely changed my mind toward Amish fiction. The main characters were spunky, as promised by the book's description, and the writing pulled me into the story immediately. The storyline was enjoyable and unique and it had a great cast of supporting characters.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who already enjoys Amish fiction, or anyone who'd like to give this genre a try. I gave this book 4 stars.



Stolen by Katariina Rosenblatt, PhD with Cecil Murphey

There is HOPE, even on the darkest of days…

A twelve year old girl—verbally, mentally, physically, and sexually abused—walks into a church in 1985, hears the word of God preached by Billy Graham, and gives her life to Christ during the invitation where Mr. Graham points his finger at her and says, “Remember this: God will never leave you or forsake you.” Little did this girl, or Billy Graham, know how special those words would become to her a year later when she was naively lured into sex trafficking.

Katariina Rosenblatt was a lonely and abused young girl, yearning to be loved, wanting attention. That made her the perfect target. On an ordinary day, she met a confident young woman—someone Kat wished she could be like—who pretended to be a friend while slowly luring her into a child trafficking ring. A cycle of false friendships, threats, drugs, and violence kept her trapped.

As Kat shares her harrowing experiences, her ultimate escape, and her passionate efforts to now free other victims, you’ll see that not only is sex trafficking happening frighteningly close to home—it’s also something that can be stopped. Stolen is a warning, a celebration of survival, and a beacon of hope that will inspire you.

Authors: Katariina Rosenblatt and Cecil Murphey

Publisher: Revell, 2014

Cover art: Design Source Creative Services

My Review

Tears fell from my eyes as I read Katariina’s story, both happy and sad. Joyous for her survival and amazement at how merciful God is. Grieved for everything she endured and how frighteningly real and more common sex trafficking is becoming. I rarely read anything that’s not fiction, and I write contemporary romance so why did I choose this book? I chose this book because I’m a Sunday school teacher to a group of pre-teen girls, many of whom live in abusive situations and ride the bus to church. I want to be aware of child predators so not only can I protect my own children, but so I can help protect other children as well. Human trafficking is on a steady rise and as much as I’d like to pretend it doesn’t happen, it does. Billy Graham had no way of knowing how his words to Katariina would pull her through the toughest times in her life. How his words would point her to Jesus, the Light in the darkness, the Hope in a hopeless situation. A situation most don’t survive. Our cause for Christ has a purpose.

I recommend this book to anyone with children, especially girls. I also recommend this book to anyone who works with children. Get to know the facts, know the signs. Are parts of this book difficult to read? Yes, but they’re vital to learning the truth. I appreciate Katariina for sharing her story with the world, which I’m sure wasn’t easy, and for her continuous effort in helping other victims.

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Katariina Rosenblatt, LLM, PhD, is living proof of the promise she heard long ago at a Billy Graham crusade that God would never forsake her. Katariina has a PhD in conflict analysis and resolution and an LLM graduate law degree in intercultural human rights, and she works closely with law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and Homeland Security to eliminate human slavery. She also founded Stolen Ones—There Is H.O.P.E. For Me, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to freeing other victims of human trafficking. For more information, visit www.StolenOnes.com. She lives in Florida.

Cecil Murphey has written or coauthored more than 130 books, including the bestselling 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper and the autobiography of Franklin Graham, Rebel with a Cause. He was a collaborator on the bestseller Gifted Hands with Dr. Ben Carson. Cecil resides in Georgia.

Pulling Weeds

Cute isn’t he? Our youngest is still at the age where he enjoys working—he says it’s fun—because it makes him feel grown up. Our oldest children, ages ten and twelve, found out a long time ago work is far from fun. But enjoyable or not, pulling weeds is vital to a successful vegetable or flower garden. The same goes for our lives. We must pull the weeds of negativity and hurt, even if it means refusing to let others take advantage of us. Except we’re Christians, so standing firm against others when we know we should is wrong if it will upset the other person, right? WRONG!

Jesus called people out when needed and spoke the truth bluntly. Just look at the account of the moneychangers in the temple, or the times the Pharisee’s attempted to trick Him into saying or doing something wrong. The key is Jesus did so in love. He stated the facts and those individuals could choose to listen and change or ignore Him, but either way He still loved them. Enough to die on the cross for them (us), in fact. So what does this have to do with weeds?

I’ve been reading a fantastic book by Paul Coughlin and Jennifer D. Degler, Ph.D. called No More Christian Nice Girl. The truths in this book are profound. You see, from the time we females are born we’re taught to be nice—never intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, always do what we can to help others, be soft-spoken, never rude, and—if raised in a strict religious household—remain silent, keeping opinions and ideals to ourselves, especially in the presence of men. Problem is these characteristics can be poisonous if not used correctly. Over time we grow so accustom to these traits we let others trample upon us like a doormat. It’s time to take the Welcome sign off our foreheads and be, as the book states, the 360-degree human God created us to be. Yes, Jesus is love, but he’s more than just love. What’s killing a lot of churches today is that His gentle and kind side is the only side of Him being taught. Folks are putting God in a box and refusing to experience the rest of Him. How can we conform to His image if we only choose to study one aspect of His personality?

This book not only walks the reader through the 360-degree Jesus, giving many examples of this truth from scripture, but also provides a study of many women from the Bible who chose to be bold and were blessed for doing so. See, being silent isn’t always the best option. Even when in the presence of men.

          Topics covered in this book include:

*Social and Cultural Pressures

*Harmful Childhood Experiences

*Friendships and Family

*Career

*Dating

*Marriage

*Sex

"Nice girl” syndrome negatively affects every one of these areas. Yes, even sex. So if you want a beautiful, inviting, more productive life garden start pulling weeds!

To purchase your copy of No More Christian Nice Girl, click here! 

*Yes, there's also No More Christian Nice Guy! Click here!

Playing by Heart by Anne Mateer

Lula Bowman has finally achieved her dream: a teaching position and a scholarship to continue her college education in mathematics. But then a shocking phone call from her sister, Jewel, changes everything.

With a heavy heart, Lula returns to her Oklahoma hometown to do right by her sister, but the only teaching job available in Dunn is combination music instructor/basketball coach. Lula doesn't even consider those real subjects!

Determined to prove herself, Lula commits to covering the job for the rest of the school year. Reluctantly, she turns to the boys’ coach, Chet, to learn the newfangled game of basketball. Chet is handsome and single, but Lula has no plans to fall for a local boy. She’s returning to college and her scholarship as soon as she gets Jewel back on her feet.

However, the more time she spends around Jewel’s family, the girls’ basketball team, music classes, and Chet, the more Lula comes to realize what she’s given up in her single-minded pursuit of degree after degree. God is working on her heart, and her future is starting to look a lot different than she’d expected.

Publisher: Bethany House, 2014

Cover Design by Dan Thornberg, Design Source Creative Services

My Review

We all have dreams. Our parents have dreams for us. God has a plan for our lives. But what if all of these things don’t coincide? Do we choose to please others, please God, or please ourselves?

Lula Bowman’s mother wanted her to pursue music. But when her mother dies, Lula feels lost and chooses to please her father by achieving his dream of her becoming the first Oklahoma female to obtain a Ph.D. Not only is she a talented pianist, but Lula discovers she’s a brilliant mathematician as well. Determined to shed her former image of “Fruity Lu,” she throws herself into her studies, wins the Donally Mathematics Award to further her education, and works as a college professor while she finishes her schooling. A breath away from achieving her Ph.D., Lula’s sister, Jewel, calls to tell Lula she’s lost her husband to a freak accident and needs her to come back home. Being the only unmarried sibling without any “responsibilities,” Lula’s brothers and sisters decide Lula’s the only one capable of moving in with Jewel and her five children. As much as Lula wants to help her family, her education is at risk. Reluctantly, she leaves her college teaching position to accept the opening for a music teacher/girls’ basketball coach in Dunn. She’s determined to help Jewel get back on her feet so she can earn her degree. But when the handsome mathematics teacher and boys’ basketball coach, Chet Vaughn, makes Lula question the motive of her dreams, will she seek God's plan for her life and discover what she’s always wanted? Or will she continue to please others and follow the dreams of her dying father?

Playing by Heart is my favorite book by Anne Mateer. Written in first person, the character’s voices are strong and engaging. I love stories with tough, independent women and Lula hit the mark. Though I’m not normally a sports fan, this story had me wanting to attend a local basketball game. The plot was beautifully crafted and kept me turning the pages. A lovely story of self-discovery and learning to seek God’s plan for our lives versus following the plans others have for us. I gave this book 5 stars!

Anne Mateer has a passion for history and historical fiction, and her vacations often revolve around research trips in different parts of the country. She and her husband live near Dallas, Texas, and are the parents of three young adults. For more information about Anne and her books, please visit her website and blog at www.annemateer.com

Scared Stiff

Back in March, the little guy decided he wanted to play T-ball. We signed him up, paid the dues, and practiced with him. Whenever anyone asked him what position he wanted to play, he’d say, “I’m gonna be the coach!” We all laughed at this utter cuteness, but come to find out, he was serious. VERY serious.

Team practices started, and it was a constant struggle to get him to participate. Either I or my husband had to be on the field with him every second, and even then, he wouldn’t make it easy. Now don’t get me wrong, we realize he’s young, and we certainly don’t make our kids play sports. However, we do teach our children to not be quitters. There are too many quitters in society already.

Games begin. Three into the season and little guy refuses to play. He watches his teammates have a great time, but he won’t join in. Why? He wanted to be the coach!

Finally, by a miracle from the good Lord above, he decided to play last week. No fussing, scowling, or shyness. Just a lift of his little chin, and he walked out there, determined, and played. He did great. Hit every time he was up to bat, ran the bases in order, and played in the dirt in between. After the game, proud mama gave him a big squeeze, bought him a Slushie, and had a heart-to-heart.

“Did you enjoy your game,” I asked.

“Yeah, I did. I knew I’d be good at it.”

“You are. But if you knew that, why wouldn’t you play before?”

“I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“I was scared I might fall down. Scared I’d get hurt. Scared people would laugh at me.”

I was stunned. This whole time I’d thought it was because he couldn’t be the coach. It was in part, but I had no idea an underlying fear kept him from playing.

This hit me square in the face. How many of Christians are being called to make some kind of change in their lives but are sitting on the bench instead, missing out because they didn’t get the “position” they wanted. Or scared they might fall down. Scared they might get hurt.

I know because I’m dealing with this myself right now. Sometimes we’re so scared of failing, we do absolutely nothing at all. I’m grateful God is a patient God. A merciful God. A God full of grace and love.

Lord, help me to overcome my fear, step away from the bench, and help my team achieve victory.

*This post was originally posted by me on May 23, 2014 with the Quid Pro Quills. For more posts like this visit www.quidproquills.wordpress.com