Wait for Me by Susan May Warren

From the publisher:
Pete Brooks can't believe he's waited an entire year for Jess Tagg to return to Montana, only to have her break his heart by getting engaged to her ex-fiancé. Worse, a series of mistakes on the job have cost lives, and Pete isn't sure he wants to continue to work in Search and Rescue. Maybe if he can just get over Jess, he can figure out how to move forward. 

EMT Jess Tagg has returned to Montana to finally give her heart to Pete, but it seems he's no longer interested. When a terrible fight between them sparks an impulsive decision, she finds herself crashed on the side of a highway along with Esme Shaw. And just when she thinks things couldn't get any worse, she and Esme are taken captive and into the untamed Montana wilderness--with murderous intent. 

Now Pete and the other PEAK Rescue Team members are in a race against time, the elements, and the actions of a vengeful man. Pete will have to use everything he's learned to find Jess and Esme--and pray that his past mistakes don't cost him the life of the woman he can't stop loving.
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Another exciting and well paced novel by Susan May Warren. The Montana Rescue series is one that I have been enjoying each time another book comes out.  You definitely would benefit by reading the books prior to this one. 

This book is filled with adventure and risk.  Not just with the hearts of the characters but with the lives.  You won't want to put it down until you reach the very end.  Warren writes in such a way that you become invested in the characters and their lives.  The book has more than just Jess and Pete and you will find that each story is riveting in its own way.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Defiant Joy by Stasi Eldredge

From the publisher:

 We all spend a lot of energy reaching for happiness, but we are never quite able to hang on to it. Real life happens, and our circumstances take us on an emotional rollercoaster ride. So the Bible’s call to “be joyful always” sounds almost crazy—and out of reach. But it doesn’t have to be.

Joy is meant to be ours, a joy that is defiant in the face of this broken world. This joy is not simply happiness on steroids; it’s the unyielding belief that sorrow and loss do not have the final say. It’s the stubborn determination to be present to whatever may come and to interpret both goodness and grief by the light of heaven.

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As an individual that struggles with depression and anxiety what I appreciated was the Stasi doesn't come from the side of "I have a joyful life, so should you!" Instead she shares dark and painful things she has gone through and how DESPITE all that she has chose to take hold of joy and hope and beauty.  Her joy is defiant because it seems like she should just despair and give up, but instead she chooses joy. I and thankful that this book is out there and for her perspective as she wrote and shared.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

On Magnolia Lane by Denise Hunter

From the publisher:

After two years of counseling sessions with Daisy Pendleton, Pastor Jack McReady has earned a permanent spot in her life as a spiritual leader—and nothing more. Jack would never risk losing her trust by exposing the depths of his heart, but he’s hopelessly in love with her.

Daisy loves her southern small-town life and her job at her family-run flower shop, but she doesn’t have the thing she longs for most: someone to share it with. Her recent foray into online dating has been a disaster—until she meets TJ.

Jack could kill his friend Noah for using his initials and some indistinct photos to set up a profile on the dating app Daisy is using. But when he’s finally afforded the opportunity to show her a different side of himself, he’s sucked into the plan before he has time for second thoughts.

Online, Daisy shares some of her greatest fears with TJ, but in person, Jack and Daisy are spending more time together. When a devastating family secret surfaces, Daisy knows that only her trusted friend and counselor can bring her comfort. Jack wants nothing more than to be both men for Daisy, but revealing his secret will prove to be the ultimate test of Daisy’s grace.

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This is the 3rd book in the Blue Ridge Romance series.  I definitely recommend reading the other two books before this one, as it will help you know the characters and town better.  

These books are fun and engaging to read.  I liked having the story between Daisy and Jack develop over two "timelines" so to speak as they get to know each other in different way.  If you enjoyed old classics like The Shop Around the Corner this will be a good book for you.  Characters falling in love without realizing it.

There are lessons to be learned by each character, forgiveness to give, and that is something that any reader can relate to.

As always, Denise Hunter is a fun read!

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Ministry of Ordinary Places by Shannan Martin

I heard about Shannan Martin when I listened to a podcast that she was interviewed on. Her story, her ministry grabbed a hold of my heart. So I was excited to get this book. 

Shannan Martin makes ministry attainable.  We often think we have to go far away or be "extraordinary" to do ministry.  But Shannan writes to open our eyes to what is right around us.  How to love and ministry in what is our ordinary lives.  Are you ready to have meaning in your life?  I am.  Are you already full and busy in your life?  Me too.  But in this book you will be challenged to see the areas of ministry right at your doorstep. 

This book is full of personal stories and ways that will touch and change your heart and lives. 

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I AM: The Names of God for Little Ones by Diane Stortz Illustrated by Diane Le Feyer

I love this book and the way it introduces children (and adults) to the different names of God.  Each name of God is rooted in a story.  Each two-page spread it beautifully illustrated.  My two year old daughter loves to have me read this to her over and over.  I think what engages her are the simple words.  There aren't too many words on each page, yet each spread is enough to tell a story.  She is intrigued by the pictures and I love that they are teaching her names about God.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson

From the publisher:
When Wendy Harper inherits her family's beachside cottage in Seaside, Maine, she sees it as a way to finally pay off the debts that have mounted since her husband died. But before it can be sold, the neglected property must be renovated. She and her 12-year-old son Jackson move in--temporarily, she reminds him--in order to do the work themselves, even though Christmas is coming. The charming town, along with local craftsman Caleb Colton, pulls on both Wendy and Jackson, who even registers himself for school in a bid to get his mom to move them there permanently. Wendy knows that the most responsible thing to do is to sell the cottage and return to Ohio, but the lure of the sea is hard to resist.

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Having read Melody Carlson before I was excited to read this sweet Christmas story.  The characters in the story are enjoyable.  The town too, was enchanting and made one want to go visit.  As a shorter book there wasn't as much time to develop the characters and their relationships.  That is always a bit difficult for me as a reader because I want to see the characters really work through things, and with a shorter book that just isn't always possible.  The ending seemed a bit quick but it was still a sweet read.

I received this book. All opinions are my own.

I Call You Mine: Embracing God's Gift of Adoption (A Six-Week Study) by Kim de Blecourt

From the publisher:
I Call You Mine is a six-week study focused on revealing the incredible spiritual insights available to those who embrace God's heart of adoption. Just as Jesus used stories to engage and teach, the Scripture passages and personal stories in this study uncover greater truths about adoption as God s children. Caring for the unwanted is a privilege, and the perspective gained when working with God in this way is humbling. Realize anew what it means to be chosen and redeemed.

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I was so excited when I heard about this six week study.  As an adoptive parent I have read books deciding to adopt, books on connections, and brain development.  But I have not read a book like this.  I love that it takes an adoptive parent (or anyone interested in adoption) through different weeks that really can open up the readers eyes to think about adoption differently as well as how we see God.  

There is a lot of beauty in adoption, and Kim shares about that. There is also a lot of hard and broken, and Kim also shares about that.  But the whole time each study has Bible verses to study and see what God and His Word says about these situations.  

I can see this book as a gift for those thinking about adoption, beginning adoption, or home with their child.  No matter where you are this study will open your eyes to what God says about caring for the vulnerable.  I love the last week where Kim delves into the ministry of caring for orphans.  Such a powerful study on how we are all called to do something.  

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.