ABOUT THE BOOK

Returning to the home she fled in disgrace, will Hannah find healing for the wounds of the past?

After receiving a desperate and confusing call from her sister, Hannah Lapp reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community of her Pennsylvania childhood.

Having fled in disgrace more than two years earlier, she finally has settled into a satisfying role in the Englischer world. She also has found love and a new family with the wealthy Martin Palmer and the children she is helping him raise. But almost immediately after her arrival in Owl's Perch, the disapproval of those who ostracized her, including her headstrong father, reopens old wounds.

As Hannah is thrown together with former fiancé Paul Waddell to work for her sister Sarah's mental health, hidden truths surface about events during Hannah's absence, and she faces an agonizing decision. Will she choose the Englischer world and the man who restored her hope, or will she heed the call to return to the Plain Life-and perhaps to her first love?

My review:

What a fabulous conclusion to a strong series. When the Soul Mends is as deep an compulsively readable as the rest of the series. You could try reading it as a stand-alone but I think it's much more effective if it's read within the series. The author did a great job in regards to drawing me in. I was as confused as Hannah was about who I wanted her to end up with. But the author made such as great case for each situation that I changed my mind several times over the course of the series. I am ecstatic with how it ended, too. It seemed impossible, but Cindy pulled it off.

I loved the spiritual thread, which was subtle, yet effective. The part about forgiveness was very well done and portrayed the way life really is. It's one thing to say you should forgive someone and an entirely different thing to follow through with your intenstions. I also really enjoyed the roles the minor characters played in the story. It gave it a richer quality. I just wish the series didn't have to end. This is the kind of story that makes you want to pick up the phone when you turn the last page and talk to someone about it. I highly recommend When the Soul Mends.

When the Soul Mends was published by Waterbrook and released in Sept 2008.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Julie Lessman is a debut author who has already garnered writing acclaim, including ten Romance Writers of America awards. She is a commercial writer for Maritz Travel, a published poet and a Golden Heart Finalist. Julie has a heart to write "Mainstream Inspirational," reaching the 21st-century woman with compelling love stories laced with God's precepts. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their golden retriever, and has two grown children and a daughter-in-law. A Passion Most Pure was her first novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

No man can resist her charms. Or so she thought. Charity O'Connor is a woman who gets what she wants. Her stunning beauty and flirtatious ways have always succeeded with men. Until Mitch Dennehy, that is.

Brilliant and dangerously handsome, Mitch is a no-nonsense newspaperman who wants nothing to do with her. Charity burned him once, destroying his engagement to the only woman he ever truly loved. He won't play with matches again. But Charity has a plan to turn up the heat, hoping to ignite the heart of the man she loves. And she always gets what she wants--one way or another.

Or does she? Will her best-laid schemes win his love? Or will her seductive ways drive him away forever? Book 2 in the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Redeemed will captivate your heart and stir your soul with a story of faith and redemption rising from the ashes of temptation, desire, and shame.

Praise for the first book in the series:

"Full of romance, humor, rivalry, and betrayal, A Passion Most Pure will captivate readers from the first page." --Historical Novels Review "Superb! Incredible!

"I loved Julie Lessman's A Passion Most Pure from the second I picked it up until the very last moment I stopped reading." --Armchair Interviews

"I devoured this book and loved every single page. . . . This is a thick, juicy read, and one I would pick up again in a heartbeat." --christianreviewofbooks.com

My Review:

Lessman has a knack for drama and angst with a heavy dose of passion. This story is no exception. And like a soap opera, you never quite know who will end up with whom and what will happen next. There is not a boring page in this entire novel. The tension rocks. There is a lot of pain and anger, as well as joy and deep sorrow. But the longing is what gets to me.

Don't we all long for love? And poor Charity was operating from a faulty point of view from the get-go. I found that quite profound, and well done. Charity had reasons for being sensual, complex, needy, and rejecting. She had deep-seated reasons for being manipulative as well. I've known so many girls and women like Charity, whose issues caused them to do insane things at times to try to get their way. But their behavior always stemmed from a profound fear of abandonment. I loved how the author portrayed this with such emotion.

I also loved how the romance between Charity's parents continued and enjoyed some of the profound talks--and interruptions--they had at night. In regards to the male point of view, Lessman does this well. They say the average man thinks about sex at least once every few minutes. If that is true (and I wouldn't know as I'm not a man) then she has that nailed as well.

While this story seemed more heavy on the physical attraction than a Passion Most Pure, it made sense given Charity's extreme beauty and seductive behavior that men would feel somewhat tortured around her. And like most women who've been hurt at a very young age, she blames herself for what happened with Rigan. While I didn't like it, that is so like real life situations.

Toward the end I was really hoping another relationship would work out, but I've discovered that with Lessman's Passion series, things don't usually change course and stay there, but the diversion still plays a large part in the healing. So even though I was a tad disappointed at the end, I know that means the third book will resolve that for me. I grew to care so much about one character that I wanted to see him happy. Not gonna happen in this book, but there is always potential in the next novel in the series. So I was still satisfied. But unfortunately, whenever I finish one of Lessman's books I am tortured by having to wait for the next installment.

Oh, and when it comes to sensual tension, this author does it better than anyone in the Christian fiction world today. And she has definitely extended the boundaries of what is "allowed" in the CBA, giving hope to other authors like myself, who see passion as being the spice of life and a true gift from God. :) Encore!

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About the book:

In the small town of Dogwood, West Virginia, Karin has buried her shattered dreams by settling for a faithful husband whose emotional distance from her deep passions and conflicts leaves her isolated. Loaded with guilt, she tries to raise three small children and "do life" the best she can.

Will returns to Dogwood intent on pursuing the only woman he has ever loved--only to find there is far more standing in his way than lost years in prison. The secrets of Will and Karin's past begin to emerge through Danny Boyd, a young boy who wishes he hadn't survived the tragedy that knit those two together as well as tore them apart.

The trigger that will lay their pain bare and force them to face it rather than flee is the unlikely figure of Ruthie Bowles, a withered, wiry old woman who leads Karin so deep into her anger against God that it forces unexpected consequences.



My review:

What an amazing story! While there were several different characters and viewpoints, for the most part they were distinct enough where I could keep track of them. At any rate, this story was a page turner. I loved how the author dropped little clues on a trail which led to the culmination of the story. While not perfect or super-spiritual, the ending was still gratifying despite the tragic undertones. For the majority of the story, you aren't quite sure what the whole issue is with Karin, but begin to suspect a little bit more as the story moves along. It's so bittersweet, yet surprising. And beautiful.

This story left me wanting to mull over the the details even after I finished it. Kind of like I did with the movie "Summersby" starring Jodi Foster and Richard Gear. Yet Dogwood didn't leave me with a "bummer" feeling like some novels have. In fact, I grew more fond of Will as the story progressed, despite what had allegedly occurred before he went to prison. And kind of like in the movie "Dead Man Walking," I wanted to obsess over what could have happened differently to prevent the incident in the first place. My heart ached for him.

Then as the truth slowly came out, a tragic sense of loss hit me deep inside, but it mingled with rejoicing as things were revealed. There were some intense moments in the story when I thought for sure it was over for Will. The suspense was killing me as was his unrequited love and longing for Karin. The scenes that went back to that tragic year were particularly powerful. The emotion was totally gripping, and it was so precious to get to know Will's heart so much that he felt like a real person to me.

I can see this movie becoming a Hollywood feature film. In fact, it was so well done I felt like I was living in Dogwood as I read the story. Rarely does a novel strike such a deep chord in me like this one had. This story is not only well worth reading, but sharing with friends, too. It would make a fabulous book club selection because it was so thought-provoking and edgy. And I SO love edgy because I love anything that makes me think and feel things on a deeper level.

Dogwood was published by Tyndale and released in August 2008.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

When Mademoiselle Dominique Dawson sets foot on the soil of her beloved homeland, England, she feels neither the happiness nor the excitement she expected upon her return to the place of her birth. Alone for the first time in her life, without family, without friends, without protection, she now faces a far more frightening prospect, for she has come to the country she loves as an enemy-a spy for Napoleon.

Forced to betray England or never see her only brother alive again, Dominique has accepted a position as governess to the son of Admiral Chase Randal, a harsh man, still bitter over the loss of his wife. Will Dominique find the strength she needs through God to follow through with the plan to rescue her brother? Will Chase find comfort for his bitter heart in God's arms and be able to love again?

And what new deceptions will they both find in France when they arrive to carry out their plan?

My review:

I really enjoyed The Falcon and the Sparrow . The story contained all of the distinct Tyndall elements of depth and mood that I've grown to love and expect from her books. Intrigue, romance, suspense, and passion are always part of Tyndall's plot, which makes them page turners for me. The author successfully tortures her characters by getting them into the worst predicaments, and that always makes for incredible tension. Plus the spiritual element was tightly woven into the story's theme and into characters' lives.

I love how people actually changed in the story because they were around Dominique. She was like a light in the house full of nothing by heartache and pain, which is what Christians are called to be--light. This aspect of the story was done amazingly well. The romantic tension rocked as did the kissing scenes! That's often my favorite part of Tyndall's novels. She does a great job of pairing up two very unlikely people with intense conflict between them, which makes for some serious electricity. I dare say the pages of this novel smoked with constrained passion and deep affection. I loved how the Admiral's heart began to thaw and how his son played a key role in the entire story. As usual, this was well done! I've never read a Tyndall novel I haven't thoroughly enjoyed!

The Falcon and the Sparrow was published by Barbour and released in Aug 2008.

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About the book:

Once again, I have kept the demons at bay.

As a wife and mother, Ruth knows her prayers are crucial to her family's spiritual welfare. She stands between her precious children and the evil one, doing battle in prayer. She can't afford to be careless. Thankfully, she has powerful allies: Pastor Glenn, New Life Christian School where her daughters Mary and Sarah attend, and the inner circle at Arbor Drive Fellowship. They all reinforce her careful nurturance of her children.

If only her husband, Rick, understood that. He's exasperated about the money Ruth keeps spending for the church and school. Doesn't he see that these are their best defenses in shielding their children from the dangers of the world?

But the forces that threaten Ruth's faith, her family--her very life--are not the ones she expects. Ruth doesn't realize that her heartfelt desire to obey God is mingled with dangerous currents of OCD--Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Her own strategies for protecting her family may be the very thing that tears them apart.

My review:

The Other Side of Darkness is a powerful, but dark novel about a woman battling with mental illness. You as the reader are in her head, so you see the world the way she sees it. That makes the book a hard read because who wants to feel like they are going crazy? But it is good in other ways because it helps give the reader insight into people who suffer from severe OCD.

The troubling thing about this story is that it sweeps you away. And while that shows the author did a great job with characterization, you also start to feel the frustration and all that goes with it. Also, there are a lot of people who believe similar things who are Christians. How do you sort that all out? The main character seemed to be a Christian and she knew the Scriptures, but then she was influenced by her OCD.

I admired that Ruth prayed a lot, but then things took a dark turn and though she kept praying she only got sicker. So it makes you wonder if she was seeking the Lord with her whole heart, which it appears that she was, why did the cultish group gain so much power over her mind? I think it went back to her childhood issues. They made her vulnerable to compliments and needing to feel wanted, which this weird church was good at making her believe.

As the story progressed it almost seemed like rather than casting demons out, Ruth was bringing them home with her! Now I am not a person who believes there is a demon under every bush, but there is such a thing as opression. It was true that her church friends gave more attention to the enemy than the Savior, and that was a bad thing.

But it still bothers me that she was so sincere, yet it was wrapped up in her illness. So how does one know whether they are hearing from God, or just losing their mind? In this story Ruth spent most of her time listening to other people tell her about what the Bible said so they shaped her thinking. It seemed like whenever the Bible was read apart from the "cultish church" it worked to bring health and life to Ruth's family.

The bottom line is that this was an unsettling, but powerful read. I didn't feel much hope, however, or I'd rank it higher. In real life there are not always happy endings, but in this case that could've been elaborated on more so the reader isn't left feeling bummed despite the good things that happened. That's the tricky part about writing a story with dark themes. The light has to shine brighter so the reader feels hope. And yes, there is some hope offered, but I'm not sure it's enough, because I never got the sense that Ruth ever really heard from God by the story's end. Hope that makes sense. Read it for yourself and then you decide.

The Other Side of Darkness is published by Multnomah and will be released in Sept. 2008.

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Synopsis of the book:

A woman with no future.

A man with no hope.

A God who knows the key to their deepest need lies in each other?

Wyoming Territories, 1860. Gloria is in trouble. A mining camp is a merciless place when you're young, pregnant--and a prostitute. No matter. Life will not defeat her.

John William McGregan is in despair. His beloved wife died in childbirth. And while John is a resourceful man, raising an infant daughter on his own seems impossible.

Thrown together by a seemingly cruel fate, Gloria and John William make a pact: She will nurse his daughter; he will raise her son. Neither asks for marriage. They are joined by necessity, nothing more.

But after a move to the new Oregon territory, facing John William's faith day after day, and receiving an older woman's motherly mentoring, Gloria longs for something more. For the love she's been denied all her life. If only that life hadn't made her unfit, not only for John William--but for God.

Then tragedy strikes--making even the resolute John William question his faith. Terrified, Gloria turns to the One she has never been able to trust. But can even God save what now means more to Gloria than life itself: her newfound family?

My review:

Ten Thousands Charms was such an emotionally gripping story that I had trouble putting it down. But even when I had to work and do other things, I was still thinking about the story. I know so many women like Gloria who have been so hurt that they are emotionally dead inside and when someone offers them hope, they are terrified. I could totally see that struggle in Gloria and it was a beautiful thing to watch how God slowly wooed her to Himself through the love of believers. And while no one in this story was even close to perfect, they were totally believeable and likeable characters. John William was heroic in so many ways even with the flaws he carried with him. And Gloria was such a good mother to the babies. It was impossible not to grow to love her as she cared for the children and learned how to take care of herself and her "family," which was the one thing she never believed she would experience in her lifetime. My eyes filled with tears every time Gloria took a tiny step in faith. There were so many things she learned, and the reader learns along with her as she learns to trust. The author also does a fantastic job writing the male point of view and the intense emotions John and Gloria both felt, both positive and negative. I highly recommend this story because it nurtures both the heart and the spirit, and because I loved, loved, loved it!

Ten Thousand Charms was published by Multnomah and released in 2006.

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About the book:

Nervous new mom Susan feels like she may never get a handle on "the mothering thing"---so she's grateful when a chance meeting reconnects her with JoJo, an acquaintance with a daughter the same age. Over the years, the family friendships deepen, but as graduation nears, will they be ready to let their girls fly?

My review:

This engrossing novel is better than a parenting book! And if you you see a frustrated, self-conscious mom in the store with a kid having a conniption fit, do her a favor and tell her about this book. Seriously. You may just save her some heartache.

Learning to Fly is about parenting and the heart of a mother. But it's even more than that. It's about marriage and friendship and peer pressure. It's about the consequences of not speaking up and of letting your child get what they want all the time. It's about the dysfunction of reliving your childhood through your child and the damage it can do. It's about so many things. And the most exciting part of this book is it's every mother. There is a bit of Susan and Jo Jo in all moms, so everyone can relate.

I love reading about dysfunction when the authors have deep insight into the situation and wisdom that shows up in their characterization. Roxanne Henke nails so many things in the process of telling you this story that will grip your heart in many, many ways. In fact, this is the perfect gift for a parent with little ones. Readers can't help but see just how much it hurts your child to give in to them. It's not a pretty sight and only gets worse as they get older. The takeaway value of this book is that it's worth it to be consistent and to listen to your child and not make excuses for their bad behavior. Plus, the characters are so well done it's hard not to love them and understand them by book's end. I highly recommend this book!

Learning to Fly was published by Harvest House and released in February 2008.

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About the book:
Tiffany LeBoeuf recently lost her mother to cancer. Still grieving, Tiffany seeks rest for her body and soul at a cozy beach house in San Diego. A scheduling mix-up causes a double booking, and Tiffany ends up sharing the house with a woman named Eve. When Eve's boyfriend, Jeremy, arrives to surprise Eve, he's surprised to see Tiffany as well. He settles in at the beach house next door, and what happens after that surprises them all.

A fun, contemporary romance about how God uses even our mistakes to bring about His divine purposes. Beach Dreams is the perfect get-away read.

My review:

After having read Too Good to be True and The Guy I'm Not Dating, both written by Trish Perry, I was eagerly anticipating the return of her characters. I was thrilled to discover that Jeremy was back, and this time this hot Brit's the hero! I hadn't read the first two books in the beach house series by Sally John, but frankly that didn't matter because the characters in the story were from Trish's previous series. And let me tell you what I love about her writing. She really knows how to write about relationships.

I loved the setting and the activities that took place. The language used by the English was quite fun, if you fancy that sort of thing, LOL! Anyway, Tiffany, the mean girl from the first two books who was humbled and softened at the end of book two, returns in this story as the heroine. She still fights the urge to tell people off and resists the temptation to return to her old ways on occasion, but that made her more real to me.

There were two different times when I got choked up toward the end of this story. I can't tell you what those things were that emotionally moved me because it would spoil the story, but I'll just say that sometimes what you think people believed about you and what you think they meant is not always true. That's the beauty of learning to communicate from the heart. While this book is a great beach read and loads of fun, it's by no means shallow, and on occasion it contains excellent insight into spiritual matters. And those almost-kisses were pure torture! I'm just sad the story had to end.

Beach Dreams was published by Harvest House and released in July 2008.

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About the book: Life is looking up for teenage Katie Parker. After being placed in a new home, she's finally adjusting to her foster family. But tragedy shakes her fragile world as a tornado rips through the town of In Between and her foster mother is diagnosed with cancer. Faced with the possibility of losing a loved one, Katie begins to doubt if God really does care. Making matters worse, Katie is accused of stealing at school. But in the middle of her chaotic-and often humorous-life, Katie reconnects to God's amazing grace and love. This is the second release from the Katie Parker series, books for teen girls that explore a less-than-perfect life and the heroine who perseveres through wit, sass, and faith. My review: I thought In Between was the best YA novel I'd ever read (other than my own - LOL), but I was wrong. On the Loose, A Katie Parker Production, Act 2, was even better than In Between! Katie really grows a lot over the course of these first two books in this series, and toward the end of On the Loose, I was wiping tears from my eyes. I love Katie as if she was my own daughter (I have a 16-year-old son) and even though she's a fictional character when her heart broke, so did mine. When I wasn't laughing my head off reading On the Loose, I was wiping tears from my eyes. I drove my husband up the wall by asking him if I could read him just one more page. This story is read-out-loud funny. Seriously. I couldn't help sharing the humor because it was so zany and tongue-in-cheek, yet insightful and deliciously entertaining. I can't say enough great things about this book or this series. Jenny B. Jones is a favorite author, and this book makes me even more sure of my decision to rank her my #1 favorite YA author of all time. I'm reading every book she writes. On the Loose was published by NavPress (Th1nk books imprint) and released in September 2007.

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Hidden is a remarkable story about the unlikely love between a modern girl on the run and an Amish boy from the family who shelters her.

When Anna decides it's time to leave her abusive boyfriend, she doesn't know where to turn. Rob is a successful and respected person in her community. He has completely won over her parents with his good looks and prestigious position at a top law firm. Only Anna has seen his dark side. But when Rob hurts Anna yet again, she realizes that she must finally help herself.

Desperate, she runs to the one place she's always felt completely safe, the Amish Brenneman Bed and Breakfast, where years ago she and her mother once stayed, and where Anna met life-long friend Katie Brenneman. When Anna shows up years later unexpectedly, the family welcomes her in, with few questions asked, and allows her to stay, dressed as the Amish in Plain clothes, and help around the inn.

But Katie's older brother Henry doesn't take too kindly to the intrusion. Anna wonders if it's because he's already had his heart broken. To Henry's shame, from the moment he sees Anna, he feels a strong attraction. To cover his infatuation, he tries to ignore her, knowing no good would ever come from keeping an eye on a fancy woman like her. But as he sees that Anna has a good heart and is not the selfish, spoiled woman he imagined her to be, he feels his heart pointing towards her.

Anna comes to realize that she's found a home and true love in the last place she'd expected. How can she deny the life she left behind? And will her chance for happiness be stolen away by the man who can't seem to let her go?

If you would like to read the Prologue, go HERE


My review:

Hidden was an adventure that went beyond it's pretty cover. A cross between a movie like Sleeping with the Enemy, and a novel like Deb Raney's Remember to Forget, Hidden is somewhere in the middle in regards to tension, but with a bit of the Amish culture mixed in. I enjoyed this story and read it in just two days. I loved the premise of hiding out in the Amish community. And the hero was incredibly heroic even though he wasn't all that likeable at first. Then again, neither was the heroine. However, she changed through the course of the story and I couldn't help feeling connected to her. While my parents didn't smother and baby me like hers did, I could certainly relate to her feeling like she had to fight for her independence. The coolest part of the story was experiencing with Anna the drastic change in her life from our modern culture with all of its hassles and conveniences to the Amish life, which in many ways seemed so much better despite all she had to give up in the process of fitting in. This story almost makes you want to convert and become one of the Plain people. After all, they seemed more spiritual because they didn't have the insane busyness that we've grown accustomed to. Plus, they worked hard and labored physically, so they were strong and not soft or weak. In short, Hidden never bored me and the plot never dragged, so it was worth my while. I can't wait for the sequel.

Hidden was published by Avon Inspire and released in May 2008.

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About the book:

When Rachel Donovan, a strong--willed chiropractor with a past, meets Jack Westwood, a bull--headed cowboy looking for a future, it looks like hate at first fight. But when the dust settles, it may be love. Can the chiropractor and the cowboy bridle their growing attraction, or will love ultimately have free reign?

My review:

Whenever I start a new book--especially a romance--I worry that I won't enjoy it and would've wasted my time. I don't have much time these days to spare, so that would be bad. At any rate, Along Came a Cowboy was a very good read. I love romance stories that have some depth to them and this one delivers. At first I wasn't sure how the author could keep the conflict believeable enough to carry the story, but as Dr. Rachel's issues rose to the surface, things got complicated, and complications are never boring to read about. So without giving any spoilers, I'll just tell you that when the heart is moved to change and when walls come down, it really touches my heart. In this case it had less to do with the hero and more to do with Rachel's family, but it was still beautiful to experience. If you love romance that goes easy on the physical aspects, but deep on the emotional end, you'll love this story.

Along Came a Cowboy was published by Barbour and released in May 2008.

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Product Description

They say love is blind. This time they're right...

As a woman lies unconscious in a hospital bed, her husband waits beside her, urging her to wake up and come home. Between them lies an ocean of fear and the tenuous grip of memories long past. Memories of wonder. Of love. Memories of a girl named Madison and a boy named Paul...

Madison Foster knew she was going blind. But she didn't want pity-not from her mother, not from her roommate, and especially not from her best friend Paul-the man she secretly loved.

Paul Tilden knew a good thing when he saw it. And a good thing was his friendship with Maddie Foster. That is, until he started to fall in love.

With the music of the seventies as their soundtrack and its groovy fashions as their scenery, Maddie and Paul were drawn together and driven apart. Then one night changed everything... forever.

And only now, when life tiptoes past the edge of yesterday, along the rim of today