SUMMER'S LIST

A dying wish alters the course of a young woman's life.

Life hadn't been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness-caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother's bookstore-she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love... didn't turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something-or someone.

Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer's past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way?

My thoughts...

A whimsical story with fun tender moments and a bit of laughter throughout. Summer fulfills her grandmother's bucket list and finds romance. She has no clue her granny has an ulterior motive nor that she is dying. Well written with a good plot that moves right along, I found this to be a very enjoyable read.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

TWO ROADS HOME

Minor-but-nagging setbacks continue to sour Grant and Audrey Whitman's initiation into the world of innkeeping, but larger challenges brew when an innocent flirtation leads to big trouble for the Whitmans' son-in-law, Jesse. Jesse Pennington's friendly, outgoing personality has always served him well, especially in a career that has earned him and his wife Corinne a very comfortable lifestyle. But Corinne and Jesse are both restless---and for similar reasons, if only they could share those with each other. Instead, too many business trips and trumped-up charges of harassment from a disgruntled coworker threaten their marriage and possibly put their three precious daughters at risk.

With their life in disarray, God is tugging at their hearts to pursue other dreams. Can Corinne and Jesse pick up the pieces of what was once a wonderful life before it all crumbles beneath them?

My thoughts...

Book two in the series continues with the Pennington family as they face a major change in their lives as well as threats made against their family which puts their children in danger. A dream becomes a reality and brings all kinds of challenges. A good story with the usual ups and downs of family life but told in a way that warms your heart.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

FIVE BRIDES

One dress, five women, a lifetime of memories.

Five single, fiercely independent women live together in a Chicago apartment in the early 1950s but rarely see one another. One Saturday afternoon, as they are serendipitously together downtown, they spy a wedding dress in a storefront window at the famous Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. After trying it on―much to the dismay of the salesclerk and without a single boyfriend or date between the five of them―they decide to pool their money to purchase it. Can one dress forever connect five women who live together only a short time before taking their own journeys to love and whatever comes happily ever after?

My thoughts...

Eva Marie Everson is a talented writer, this book as well as previous ones, is so good. The story of 5 women and one wedding dress and the friendships that develop really warmed my heart, I want to read it again. The women are strong and stand firm in a time where women usually didn't do that. I savored each page. This is a book you hate to see end, I'd love to see a sequel.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

MISS BRENDA AND THE LOVELADIES

For Brenda Spahn, entrepreneur and businesswoman, wealth was a lifestyle—until a brush with the law threatened to send her to prison. In those dark moments, Brenda made a promise to God. Spared incarceration, a renewed Brenda glimpsed into the lives of women serving time in one of the worst places in America—the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama. What she saw prompted a God-inspired vision. With a heart to help and a will that couldn't be crushed, Brenda fought the system and overcame tremendous obstacles to take ex-cons into her own home and help them navigate the alien world of life on the outside. This is the story of Brenda's journey from rags to riches to redemption. It's the story of the first unlikely year of her “Whole Way House” and of the extraordinary lives of the first seven women who came to call her “Miss Brenda.” It's a story that testifies to the power of faith and how God changes hearts every day.

My thoughts...

Successful businesswoman Brenda sees the need for a place where women being released from prison can be transitioned back into society. She turns her beautiful home into such a place. What happens next is a wonderfully delightful tale that kept me laughing. Thinking these women would appreciate her help and what she actually encounters is totally different.

Love the plot and the characters in this book!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

WHEN MOCKINGBIRDS SING

What marks the boundary between a miracle from God and the imagination of a child?

Leah is a child from Away, isolated from her peers because of her stutter. But then she begins painting scenes that are epic in scope, brilliant in detail, and suffused with rich, prophetic imagery. When the event foreshadowed in the first painting dramatically comes true, the town of Mattingly takes notice.

Leah attributes her ability to foretell the future to an invisible friend she calls the Rainbow Man. Some of the townsfolk are enchanted with her. Others fear her. But there is one thing they all agree on-there is no such thing as the Rainbow Man.

Her father, the town psychologist, is falling apart over his inability to heal his daughter . . . or fix his marriage. And the town minister is unraveled by the notion that a mere child with no formal training may be hearing from God more clearly than he does.

While the town bickers over what to do with this strange child, the content of Leah's paintings grows darker. Still, Leah insists that the Rainbow Man's heart is pure. But then a dramatic and tragic turn of events leaves the town reeling and places everyone's lives in danger. Now the people of Mattingly face a single choice:

Will they cling to what they know . . . or embrace the things Leah believes in that cannot be seen?

My thoughts...

Prepare to run the gamet of emotions as you read...I was quickly drawn into the story with Coffey's vivid descriptions and the characters he created which are like old friends. Felt like I was right there experiencing the humor, doubt, and the sadness. Coffey is a masterful storyteller, so glad I discovered his books.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

AS WATERS GONE BY

How can a marriage survive when separated by hundreds of miles and impenetrable prison walls?

Emmalyn and Max Ross may have to endure the fight of their lives to mend the tattered fabric of their marriage. His actions ensured she could never be a mother and put him in prison, giving their relationship a court-mandated five-year time-out. On a self-imposed exile to beautiful but remote Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior, Emmalyn has just a few months left to figure out if and how they can ever be a couple again.

Nudged along by the exuberant owner of the Wild Iris Inn and Café, a circle of misfit people in their small town, and a young girl who desperately needs someone to love her, Emmalyn restores an island cottage that could become a home and begins to restore her heart by learning what it means to love unconditionally. Yet even as hope begins to find a place within the cottage walls, Emmalyn still wonders if she's ready for Max's release. She may be able to rebuild a cottage, but can she rebuild a marriage?

My thoughts...

Absolutely loved this book, the story and the cover...loved loved loved it! The characters we meet quickly became dear to my heart, I grieved along with Emmalyn as she struggled to go on with her life after her husband is incarcerated and cuts off all communication. When she moves to Madeline Island and begins anew with quirky fun loving new friends I went through a barrage of emotions. Written in such a way that reveals Emmalyn's soul beautifully. I'm such a fan of Ruchti's books and pretty sure you will be also.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.