Hometown Family by Mia Ross

My book review today is on the Love Inspired Book, Hometown Family by Mia Ross. I really enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of the Love Inspired anymore but this was sent to me. I like the story concept, the prodigal son is always a good idea. Almost everyone can identify with one brother or the other. Unfortunately for this prodigal son, his father died before he could make things right. The nice thing about our own prodigal son story is that God is always there to greet us and welcome us back. He is so forgiving and loving. There is nothing we can do that He won't forgive us for, unless it is unbelief in His precious Son.

Matthew Sawyer is the prodigal son. He hates the farm and small town living so he takes off for the big city. Now he returns home for his father's funeral, broken hearted he was unable to say good bye or tell him how much he loved him. The terms of the will forces Matt to stay and help his family bring in the harvest. While working on machinery he finds hidden documents showing the farm is almost bankrupt. Here is his chance to leave and get out from under it, but can he do that to his siblings?

Caty McKenzie is the Sawyer's lawyer, she comes home for the funeral and to help the family. Caty has just lost her job at a big agency is not sure what she wants to do now. She returns to the home of her late grandparents and decides to fix it up, after all it's the only home she has ever really known. Caty is drawn to Matt but doesn't want to be added to his list of conquests. Their relationship is like a rollercoaster ride. Can she survive?

Matt finds that running the farm and trying to save it is a challenge he sort of enjoys. Caty plays a big part of that and the city no longer pulls him. Both of the character come with a lot of baggage, can they overlook that find a life together. A real struggle of forgiveness and trust. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. I know you will like the book. You can find more about Mia's books at www.miaross.com. God bless you all.

Hide and Seek by Lynette Eason

My book review today is on the Love Inspired Suspense Book, Hide and Seek, the first book in a new series, Family Reunion. I love Lynette's work and this book was a great read. It was a fast paced, page turner. I really enjoyed her characters and hope to learn more about them in the upcoming stories. I also like the way she weaves her faith into her books. Sometimes it's a hard thing to do right.

Erica James spent the last three years as a skip tracer in a company she started with her brother Brandon and his best friend Jordan. A company called Finding the Lost. She started the company when her own daughter, Molly, turned up missing. Now she seems to have found everyone's children but her own. As the story opens she's just received new evidence in her daughter's case. Molly's clothes were found at a crack house, a girl named Lydia left fingerprints on a barrette. Erica heads out to the crack house to find out where this girl is. As she watches the place she hears a girl scream, she runs to help.
A man is trying to kill a girl. She pulls a gun to stop him.

Max Powel is a private investigator searching for his sister. She has been in the drug scene for years and now Lydia is a suspect in a kidnapping. He follows her to a crack house, he sees someone following her but before he can get to her, he hears her scream. A woman is there with her gun drawn. He manages to apprehend the guy that is trying to kill Lydia but when she sees him, she runs off. Erica is a woman he has read about but she is after his sister.

Erica and Max team up to find evidence in the two missing girls. Erica is sure Lydia is the one who took her daughter, while Max is there to prove Lydia is innocent. The closer they get to answers the deadlier the threats against them get but the stronger their feelings become. Both have serious issues that can halt their relationship. Can they get past those?

It is a story of letting go of your past, believing in the people you love, and moving into the plans God has for you. I loved this concept. So many times we let the past destroy our future and see no way God can work it out for us but He always has a plan. A plan that is so much better than what we are struggling to achieve. Today try to let God show you what He has in store for you. Learn to trust Him in all you ways and He can do awesome things in your world. God bless you all and have a great week.

Dangerous Water by Sandra Robbins

My book review today is on the Love Inspired Suspense Book, Dangerous Waters by Sandra Robbins. This is the first book in a new series called The Cold Case Files. I always like to start a new series because most of the time you can see how the original characters are growing. I really enjoy Sandra's books. They are always page turners and this one is one of the same.

Laura Webber has returned home after being gone for several years. As a favor the her roommate she does an interview for television news. Her parents were blown up in a car bomb when she and her brothers were just children. She is asked to share her story to help other with closure to their cold cases.Now the police have started a cold case unit and her best friend wants to promote it. Laura had thought she had dealt with their deaths but is not so sure now that the killer is after her. The story starts with Laura being abducted, She is taken to the Mississippi River and ordered to start walking into it, as she is waiting for a gun shot to take her life she receives a call saying to stop the investigation or she will die. When she turns around, no one is there. Fearing for her life she runs to the only man she has ever loved. He could save her.

Officer Brad Austin is in charge of the new Cold Case Unit. Brad planned to marry Laura but she had run off and left him many years ago. Broken hearted he vows to never love again. Imagine his shock to find Laura waiting for him in his office. All the feelings he has denied come flooding back as he is force to help the love of his life stay alive. He is now sure that her case is linked to several other cases.

This is a story of discovering who you are and what is important in life. A true journey to redemption, forgiveness and laying aside your past. Life is not always as it seems. Faith is interwoven through out the story as they fight for their lives and a love they had given up on. I know you will enjoy this book. You can get this book at any of the book stores, Amazon, or through Love Inspired. God bless you all and have a great weekend.

Taken by Debra Lee

My book review today is on the book Taken by Debra Lee. It is a suspense book and is quite good. I enjoyed how Debra set all of her characters up as suspects, giving each one a reason for getting rid of the baby. You weren't sure to the end which one actually did it. This not really a Christian book but there is no foul language or sexual content. I did appreciate that. It is hard to find clean books.

The book opens with the abduction of three month old Jenna but then takes us back to what went on nine months ago. Mary Murray breaks up with her boyfriend on the night she was to tell him about their unborn child. He tells her he is in love with another woman so she keeps the child a secret. We then meet the characters that will eventually be suspects. Kyle is the father of the child, he has political aspiration and a mother that is heartless in her commitment to see him in office, then we meet his now wife and mother of a child born on the same day as Mary's child, Elaine. She is jealous of the time and money Kyle wants to give his daughter. Reilly is a journalist that has been in love with Mary for some time even though she hardly knows he is alive. After the birth of Jenna he becomes a part of Mary's life but is jealous of the time she spends with the baby when she could be with him. Next we have Carol, her best friend since college. Carol is also jealous of the time Mary spends with her new child, time they use to spend together. Last but not least is Ellie, the elderly neighbor who babysits Jenna. Her son has just lost a child and she feels they would be much better parents.

They go through several weeks without being able to find the child. there is little evidence but the police are ever working behind the scene with Reilly working through his informants. It is a good story and I know you will enjoy it.

Life can be difficult and we can have no way to turn. Things can look like there is no hope but we need to remember God is working behind the scenes even if we can't see it. As Christians are hope and prayers open doors for Him to work through. In Genesis, God asks Abraham, "Is anything to hard for me?" We just need to trust and not fear. Fear closes the door and can keep God from being able to work.  I trust you will have an awesome week. God bless you all.

Messages byJohn Michael Hilnab

My post today is on the book Messages by John Michael Hilman. I have never read any of his books before but I loved this one and I will check out the other books he has written. I know God speaks to each of us in different ways and I loved this whole concept, especially the disclaimer at the end of the book saying don't try this at home before seeking help. His characters were great and I was really surprised who the bad guy was. I look forward to reading more of his work.

David chance is an intern at a local television network, bored in a meeting he allows his eyes to roam around the room. Words start to jump out at him, imagine his surprise when those words form a sentence and then it comes to pass. Feeling stunned he asks if he can leave, on his way home he wonders if he could do that again, like ESP. The words STOP NOW jumps out at him and with out thought he slams on his brakes. The car behind him lays on his horn and passes him only to be hit in the intersection by a semi that ran a red light. David is now totally shaken and pulls over. His next message is that the president is to be killed in two days and he must stop it.

David doesn't understand what is going on; is it ESP, some parallel universe thing, or his mind going to a new level of consciousness. After saving the life of his neighbor Frank, Frank suggests it might be God. David doesn't really believe in God although he has always wanted to. So begins a great adventure for David and his family, proving that one man who listens to God can change the whole world and do great exploits.

I am thankful for that still small voice that leads and guides me and not by words jumping off walls to get my attention. We each have our own assignment from God and He will get it across to you however He has to do it. You may not be the one to save the president from being killed but you might be the one who saves the soul of the next Billy Graham or save an unborn baby that will be our greatest president ever. I know you will enjoy this book, you may purchase it on Amazon or go to
http://mysterynovel-blogspot.com.

Have a great week and God bless you.

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart

My blog today is on the Love Inspired Historical Book, Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart. I have always enjoyed the Love Inspired books about the McKaslins in Montana, so it is great to be able to read about how they all came to be. I really liked this book. Jillian has a way of writing that is very entertaining. Her stories are always quite humorous and this one is no exception. Her faith is always there in her work too. I like that. This story takes place in the year of 1883 in the Montana territory.

Noelle Kramer goes to town with her Aunt Henrietta Worthinton. The horse on their sled is a new purchase and seems to be having problems, when the train whistle blows the frightened horse takes off running. Noelle had been injured in a buggy accident years ago causing the death of her parents and leaving her blind, as fear tries to consume her they are saved on the brink of the frozen river. Noelle recognizes the man who saved them by his voice. He was the man who left her on the night of their elopement years ago. A man she hated for breaking her heart.

Thaddeus McKaslin has just returned to Montana to help his family. He rushes in to save the two ladies only to find the love of his life is now blind. The last he had heard she was to be married but now here she was. He escorts the ladies home and helps them with the horse as he tries to protect his heart from betraying him.

Noelle's Uncle Robert is a banker with a dream of owning a horse  ranch and training horses. He quits his job at the bank but his judge of horseflesh is poor at best. He offers Thad a job but because of Noelle he refuses. When Thad finds the man broken and unconscious on the road to his home he helps the ladies with the horses and the chores. He is drawn to Noelle as he sees her each day. Noelle discovers the truth about why Thad left her as she to is drawn to love she once knew.

A great love story. I know you will enjoy this book. You can purchase it at Amazon. Have a great weekend and God bless you all. 

With Unwashed Hands by Joanie Bolton

My book review today is on the book With Unwashed Hands by Joanie Bolton. I was asked to read the book and review it. My review is my own thoughts and feelings. I've come to turn down a lot of the books I am asked to read because of the content. This one I was anxious to read. It is a true story of a couple that went on a mission trip and was attacked by the devil but God had other plans.

Darrell Bolton was now a retired Air Force officer. He loved going on mission trips all over the world. Joanie didn't usually go with him on these short mission trips as she had problems with her back, but this time she had an uncontrollable urge to go on this trip to Asia. This had to be a God thing because her husband wouldn't have survived his ordeal had she not been there. God is so good and He knows what you have need of long before you ask. It is so important to seek God before you make any plans, even the small ones because He can see the outcome of each project we take on.

Darrell has some health issues before starting on the trip but let it go to anxiety and excitement for the trip and ate a clear liquid diet. Joanie's mother is taken to the hospital but tells Joanie to go ahead and go with her husband. It starts out very well until they reach a country Joanie calls Eden and then all hell breaks out in their lives. Who could have believed that being a Christian and a retired Air Force officer could cost you your life?

I am not going to tell you how the story goes you must read it for yourselves but it is an awesome story of vengeance, love, compassion, and forgiveness. How God is faithful and can protect you while the enemy does everything in his power to destroy you. It is a must read, especially if you one of those who go on mission trips like I do. It won't put fear in your heart but will show you power.  It is a compelling story that is almost impossible to set down. You really need to get a copy of this book. You can find it on Amazon or contact them at withunwashedhands@gmail.com.