A Surprise Package

When I agreed to review a book by Kaye Dacus I immeadiately thought of heroines in tea dresses with parasols and sea captains in eager pursuit. I quickly signed on with great anticipation of the historical romance I would soon receive. But when my parcel arrived I was surprised to find a contemporary romance, the last in the Brides of Bonneterre series, A Case For Love.  But the disappointment ended there.

I loved taking the journey to Bonneterre Louisiana, and meeting the Guidry family which features in all three books. By book three, the eldest son Forbes has been voted most eligible bachelor in his home town more times than he probably cares to name. As a control freak first born he's been kept busy with the dramas of his siblings and the family business. The story really takes off when the equally single and eligible TV presenter Alaine Delaroix captures his interest and heart. Will this successful lawyer learn he cannot always control life's outcomes as he thought and can he trust God with his own heart's desire? This is a story of love, trust and family honor, with a dash of clever matchmaking. Toss in the dramas of television and law courts and you have A Case For Love. 

 Kaye Dacus writes "inspirational romance with a sense of humor." I look forward to reading more from this talented writer and highly recommend her work.

Motives of the Heart

Have you ever wondered why God allows you to be drawn into circumstances which are not of your choosing, often painful and maybe even dangerous? Are you trapped and wondering what purpose God could possibly have for you in the midst of distress?

These are the same questions asked by Grace Wescott in MaryLu Tyndall's 

The Raven Saint.

One minute Grace is ministering to the destitute, sick and orphaned in her home in South Carolina in 1718. The next moment she finds herself kidnapped by the mercenary French sea captain Rafe Dubois and headed into the stormy waters of slavery in the Caribbean. Why would God take her away from her ministry to have her thrown into the hull of a pirate ship? While Grace battles to hold onto her faith, believing she has been sent to draw someone to God, Rafe Dubois fights his own battle, tormented by his past and the betrayals which have hardened his heart.

Will Grace be able to minister to the crew around her, or will she discover God has brought her to a place where the lessons are for her own heart? 

The Raven Saint is the third in M L Tyndall's Charles Towne Belles Series, but can be read as a stand alone book. It's a fast paced adventure on the high seas, with plenty of life lessons and the necessary romantic dips which rock the boat and stir the waves as our hero and heroine navigate their way to true love.

The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Are you a ‘glass half empty’ or ‘glass half full’ kind of person? Do you notice things from their ‘Oh no’ potential or their  “Oh wow” possibilities? Last weekend at the Agape Women's Retreat I read a Thomas Nelson book, The Noticer by Andy Andrews, an award winning writer and speaker. Against a backdrop of busy quilters with their whirring machines, and those cooking or chatting by the fire, I sat in the sunroom with the other readers and took a trip to the community of Orange Beach, Alabama.
The Noticer is a book about Andy, a homeless young man, and Jones, the older stranger who sets him on a new course of life for his adult years. Jones claims to have been bypassed in the natural talents of running or singing but his gift is that of being a 'Noticer.' 
"I notice things that other people overlook... about situations and people that produce perspective. That's what most folks lack - perspective - a broader view. So I give them that broader view... and it allows them to regroup, take a breath, and begin their lives again."
When Jones passes on his perspective to Andy things begin to change and a new hope propels him to see the future with its many possibilities. He starts to consider how others view him and how this might have an impact on his relationships.
Fast forward ten years, and Jones is back in Orange Beach again. Once more, his perspective on life intersects with the people around him. Those in unhappy marriages, the arrogant, the lonely and the desperate, are all challenged to consider a new perspective. Jones is not a 'solver' of problems. He simply challenges the way people look at themselves, and gives guidance without telling them what they need to do.
The Noticer is a quick and easy read which comes with discussion questions for each chapter. Part allegory, part inspiration, it's not the sort of book I normally choose for myself but I was drawn to its unusual blend of fiction and autobiography.
The Noticer is an enjoyable read. A book you will want to share with a friend and talk about later. You may find you too begin to notice things with a new perceptive.

Girls In White Dresses


I was sharing some of my writing dreams with a friend earlier this year, in particular my desire to write in the historical romance genre. My friend, obviously not the biggest fan of historical fiction (yet), made this comment.


"Do you mean those books with the ladies in long dresses on the cover?"


Ah yep. Those ones.


I must admit there are a lot of book covers right now that look alike. Corseted ladies abound, in their bustles and bodices, beckoning from the shelves to readers who might be tempted to, "judge a book by its cover."


But what about the inside?


Christy award winner 
Deeanne Gist's latest novel,
A Bride in the Bargain
(Bethany House) takes the reader to Seattle in the 1860s, where frills and frocks were as insufficient in number as the women who wore them. Joe Denton, the poster boy for lumberjacks, is watching his land and livelihood slip away from him in a legal tangle. The only solution to his problems is to find a wife and comply with the laws regarding land ownership. It seems the purchase and delivery of a bride is the simplest answer.


When Anna Ivey arrives on a ship of brides-to-be, Joe's troubles intensify. Believing she has been hired as his cook, Anna is stunned to discover Joe has other plans for her. But the task of convincing a reluctant bride to wed becomes an undertaking more challenging than the tree felling Joe normally breezes through. Can he persuade Anna in time to secure his land? Will Anna agree to marry without love?


Deeanne Gist writes about this dilemma so well. The dialogue and romantic energy are delicious in both humor and drama. There are layers to this story which peel back to reveal the false notions under which people labor and struggle. Blame, guilt and punishment are strong motivators and Gist tells the tale of yesterday's mistakes, standing in the way of freedom and peace.


I loved A Bride in the Bargain. I could've read it in one greedy sitting. Instead I made my way through it slowly with the eyes of a reader and those of a writer as well. I re-read passages which painted scenes in beautiful detail with the greatest of word economies. I became lost in the story as well as mesmerized by the craft of writing.


This was my first Deeanne Gist novel and I am sorry it ended when it did. Good thing there are more books with tea gowns on the covers and Deeanne Gist's name on them. And this one came with the generous admission, that the 'cover-girl' is none other then Deeanne's daughter!