Book Review: The Artisan's Wife

From the Back:

As Ainslee McKay reluctantly leaves all she's known, the beauty of forgiveness and new beginnings comes to light in a West Virginian town with hidden depths. Ainslee McKay's world is upended when her twin sister secretly elopes and leaves Ainslee alone to move to Weston, West Virginia, to fulfill their obligation at the McKay family's new tile works. While her brother, Ewan, agrees to travel with her and help her learn the ropes, she still intends to sell this business she no longer wants if a buyer can be found.

When the talented Levi Judson arrives to show Ainslee his designs for new tiles, she's impressed at his skill and passion for the business but feels she must keep her true plans for the business a secret from him. And though Levi hopes for a long, successful career at McKay Tile Works, he's hiding his true reason for coming to Weston. Can the growing feelings between them survive if the truth comes to light--or is a future together as untenable as the future of the tile works itself?

My Reflections:

Judith Miller's newest book "The Artisan's Wife" is set in West Virginia in the late 1800's. This is book three in the series, Refined By Love. The final installment wraps up the previous books (The Brickmaker's Bride and The Potter's Lady.) 

I so loved getting to know the Mc Kay family and the three different professions the ladies were involved in. I was acquainted with the inner workings of a brick maker, a pottery maker, and now a tile maker. The history in Miller's books is well researched and extremely interesting, but then again I love museums and history alike!

Ainslee has given her word to fulfill her part in the tile business, much to her dismay her twin sister has eloped and the burden lies on Ainslie's shoulders. Making the best of a complicated situation she moves to West Virginia to run the new tile works business until her brother can sell it. Will the men of this new town listen to a young woman? Not wanting to make too many connections Ainslee works to cut her losses and move on with her life, that is until Levi Judson enters into the equation. 

Levi moves to Weston, West Virginia to be close to his brother Noah who is a patient in an Asylum. His brother, however, is not crazy!

When Ainslee Levi and Noah get together they discover a real, creative edge to the tile works designs, could this be a promising career or should Anslee cut her losses and return home to her safe and predictable life?

I so enjoyed Miller's female characters, they are strong, stubborn and delightfully real. I also enjoyed how this novel tied up the loose ends of the previous two. It was a delicious, bittersweet read as I knew I was saying goodbye to all my beloved characters!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. Judith Miller

   Judith Miller is an award-winning writer whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. Judy and her family make their home in Kansas. Learn more at www.judithmccoymiller.com.

   Continue reading about Judith Miller

Book Review: Your Powerful Prayers

From the Back:

The all-powerful God of the universe loves us and wants to talk with us--but it doesn't always seem that way. Why is prayer so hard at times? And why are some prayers answered while others are not? Susie Larson knows the struggle. But through the years she has learned to pray with confidence and joy, approaching God as His beloved child. 

In this warm and wise book, Susie shares how you, too, can reach the heart of God. Discover how to:

· Pray more persistently, humbly, and boldly
· Overcome common hindrances to effective prayer
· Combine reverence, expectancy, and a tenacious hold on God's promises

Prayer isn't merely a means to an end. God invites you to an intimate and profound dialogue with Him, to experience His movement in your life, and to know His overwhelming joy, power, and peace. Experience God's presence as He strengthens your faith, encourages your heart, and shifts your perspective.

Includes reflection questions for personal or group use. A DVD study companion is also available separately.

My Reflections:

Susie Larson's book Your Powerful Prayers was a balm to my parched prayer life. Her perspective and nurturing spirit spoke to those quiet places in me that usually get ignored with the bustle of everyday life.

Who wouldn't want the reminder that God loves us fiercely! 

God is right there waiting for you, all you need to do is talk to him. 

Meaningful and nourishing biblical truths mixed with honest and heartfelt stories make this a fabulous tool to get your prayer life vibrant again!

Broken down into three sections the reader is guided through relevant and well laid out topics that include God, Your Fortress, God Your Father and Jesus, Your King. 

The back also includes sample prayers. I loved this inclusion, sometimes my mommy prayers can be so repetitive, and predictable, it's nice to have something more substantial than "give me patience, wisdom, and stamina!" Or my favorite "help!" LOL kidding aside (well kind of) 

These prayers are handy to pray when words are lost and exhaustion is at its peak.

Larson's book is not a tool to get God to do what you want but rather a reminder to us of who God is and how the Bible says we should live and grow closer to him. 

I will certainly be checking out Larson's other writings and adding her to my author lists.

A great book for parents, prayer groups, or anyone looking to deepen their prayer journey.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

THE AUTHOR

1. © Jenny Bedard Photography

   Susie Larson

   Susie Larson (www.susielarson.com) is a radio host, author and national speaker. She hosts her own daily live talk show,Live the Promise with Susie Larson, which airs across the Upper Midwest and in several other locations around the country. Active in...

   Continue reading about Susie Larson

Book Review: No Way Up

From the Back:

The Fight for the Cimarron Ranch Has Just Begun!
When Cimarron Ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, only the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Before leaving by train to receive treatment to save his leg--and possibly his life--Chance demands that Heath read the patriarch's will and see its conditions enforced immediately. If Chance's three bickering adult children, Justin, Sadie, and Cole, don't live and work at the ranch for an entire year, ownership of the ranch will pass to a despised distant relative.

Before long, however, Heath discovers that the avalanche may have been intentionally set--and that more danger lurks ominously. Finding his own future--and a desired future with Sadie--locked up in saving the Cimarron Ranch, Heath and the Boden siblings must work together against outside forces that threaten them all.

My Reflections:

No way Up is Book one in Mary Connealy's newest addition, aptly named The Cimarron Legacy. 

chuck full of sweet romance,  dust billowing action and laugh out loud humor this novel certainly lived up to my top favorite author list. Although I may be a tad bias as I have read every single book Connealy has written and loved each and every one of them. 

This author has a way of writing that pulls the reader in. She writes with depth and forethought as her novels are woven like a fine tapestry seamlessly meshing into the next books. This series is no different, you will notice subtle little clues dispersed throughout the story which I am guessing will be later foretold in future novels.

The dust gets kicked up from the get go when three grown siblings try to pull it together to save the family ranch.  

Strong and tough as nails Sadie, will not wait around for a man to do a job she can do better, even if that man has a tender heart for her.

Heath is such a fine example of a "hero." Good character, upstanding citizen, and fearless beyond reason, however, he must try and woo a damsel who wants to do everything on her own terms. No simple task, luckily Heath has enough to keep him busy, as this cowgirl will not be roped with the flick of a wrist.

Mystery surrounds the Boden family and it is up to Heath to unbind the noose that is entangling this family, can he figure out the source before it's too late? Can these siblings, Sadie, Cole and Justin  stop bickering long enough so that they can work as a family team?

I am eager to read book two in this series, well done Mary Connealy!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography

   Mary Connealy

   Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has more than half a million books in print. She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas,...

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Book Review: What Matters Most

From the Back:

Just when she can't take it anymore, Leta finally catches a break. But when things seem too good to be true, they often are.
Finding her dream job went right out the window when Leta Breckenridge had to quit school to help care for her mother suffering from dementia. When a delinquent account may force her mother into a less desirable facility, Leta is thrilled to land a high-paying job at an Austin public relations firm. But her seemingly ideal job turns into a nightmare when she learns the firm is a front for a political opposition organization--and that the research she's been collecting will be used against Nathan Emerson, the handsome senator she's swiftly falling in love with.

Nathan is a rising political star being pressured to run a bid to unseat the current governor of Texas. He's already in a relationship with a woman much better suited to be a politician's wife, but he's never met anyone like Leta. Could
 this feisty woman hold the key to his heart--and his future?

With emotional depth and keen insight into what drives us, Kellie Coates Gilbert offers a salient story that calls us to consider what we value most in this life.
Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal and the author of A Woman of Fortune, Where Rivers Part, and A Reason to Stay. Gilbert crafts her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances in Dallas, Texas, where she lives with her husband. Learn more at www.kelliecoatesgilbert.com.

My Reflections:

Kelly Coates weaves a dynamic tale filled with suspense, political drama and a thread of scandal. 

Our protagonist Leta Breckenridge has relinquished her dreams of completing her education as a landscape architect, in order to take on unsatisfying low paying jobs to pay for a care home for her mother who is inflicted with dementia.

Struggling to make the payments she receives the news that her past due account at the care home will cause her to find other arrangements. 
Then she backs into a car. A car with a very handsome, important driver. One she hopes she will bump into again, perhaps with less damage! 


The light at the end of the tunnel seems to shine brightly when Leta lands a job at the Ladd Agency. A place where she can shine and show off her researching abilities. Although something seems to be off with her new job...


Such a fabulous book filled with twists and turns. I loved how the author Kelly Coates snags you from the first page. The book has a faced paced cadence, that seriously makes you want to put your life on hold until you flip the last page. If you enjoy contemporary fiction I would recommend you check this one out!


Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. 
   

   Kellie Coates Gilbert

   Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal, and the author of A Woman of Fortune and Where Rivers Part. Gilbert crafts her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances in Dallas, Texas,...

   Continue reading about Kellie Coates Gilbert

Book Review: Miracle in Music City

From the Back:

In this third title in the Faithgirlz Glimmer Girls series by Natalie Grant, Miracle in Music City, the Glimmer Girls are at it again—looking for a mystery to solve. Gloria wants her daughters to learn they aren’t too young to make a difference, so she gets them involved in her annual benefit and auction. But as things often do with the trio of smart and sassy sisters, they get themselves and their nanny Miss Julia involved in a lot more than just helping mom raise money for a worthy and wonderful cause.

My Reflections:

My little one loves her Glimmer Girls books and can't wait for the next in the series.

Book three has just as much excitement and adventure as Natalie Grant's previous 2 Glimmer Girls novels.

Mom Gloria Glimmer is a world traveling Christian Song bird. She gives the girls plenty of opportunity to travel and experience the life of a musician. This adventure leads the girls, Maddie and Mia to Music City, USA where the girls learn the importance of helping those in need and solving more than just mysteries. 

I love that these books promote my values. It is not over done, but subtly placed within the book so that kids see that prayer, living out our faith, doing good works and solving our family issues are of great importance in our lives. 

Overall a fabulous read for young girls, a good addition to your church library, school or personal book shelves. I am thankful for Writers like Natalie Grant, who make parenting just that little bit easier!

This book was provided free of charge in return for my honest review from Book Look Bloggers. Thank you Book Look!

Beautiful Hand Crafted Signs: WoodSea Creations

Ahh, vacations! This country girl does not get nearly enough of those in these busy months of chicken mania.
So you can imagine my elation of getting to go on a road trip with my good friend to La Conner. This quaint little town had the most antique and country style stores I have ever seen!

The start of my grand adventure started with this sign. I absolutely loved the look of it, the country feel, the ocean weathered wood...It seemed natural that I could plan a holiday around something so perfect, so we did. We saw so many wonderful pieces of art but nothing came close to this sign, I absolutely love it!

WoodSea Creations can custom make your next favorite decorative piece as well, at an affordable price.

Here are some of the signs Made by artist Janice Millar.

The quality is unsurpassed and you are guaranteed to get an original one of a kind pice of art. Janice is easy to work with and has fabulous ideas to make your custom artwork reflect your preferences and unique style.

Her work is often created from aged barn wood and weathered wood washed up on the shores of Vancouver Island beaches.

 Kids rooms, living rooms, laundry rooms, and cabin decor Janice can make your space reflect your values and sense of style!

When craving a change in decor give Janice Miller a call and see what she can create for you!

You can visit her at this Instagram link and see even more here:

https://www.instagram.com/wood.sea/

When Calls the Heart Season #3

When Calls the Heart Season #3

Hello friends,

here is a great opportunity to get your When Calls the Heart fix. Clean, engaging movies with faith-based content. What could be better than that? 

You can watch the trailer here:

This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links


About the DVD set 

This 10 DVD set boasts the film version and the TV episode versions of the When Calls the Heart Season 3. 

10 hours of viewing pleasure, along with 5 feature films. 3 bonus discs with interviews that includes behind the scenes footage, interviews and so much more.

#Hearties fans will be thrilled to learn there is footage of a gathering that took place in Vancouver B.C. last January. Also included in this set is a trivia game devoted to the biggest /Hearties fans.

Free DVD Set for all Preorders

For everyone who preorders the Season 3 Collector’s Edition from FishFlix.com, you will receive Season 1 “Episodes” set as a free gift. 

This is a fantastic gift to give away to friends who are not yet familiar with the When Calls the Heart brand. 

With the release timed for October 11, this bonus item is a great Christmas gift for any fan of family-friendly romantic programming.

You can find the information on how to order here:

When Calls the Heart Season 3 DVD Set:

To check out this boxed set and so many more  Christian Movies   here.