Review: Thirsty

by Tracey Bateman

Nina Parker is an alcoholic—a recovering one, recently released from rehab. She’s lost everything, including the husband she loves. But returning to her hometown with a reluctant daughter in tow may not be the easiest way to re-enter the world. Abbey Hills holds the parents Nina abandoned at age sixteen, her perfect sister, the man who stole her innocence, and a heart full of terrifying memories she’s not quite ready to confront.

It also houses the handsome, mysterious Markus Chisom. He’s as much an addict as is Nina … but his thirst is dark and unspeakable, though centuries of practice have given him more control than Nina has yet achieved. His obsession with Nina is older than she can possibly imagine. But an old acquaintance is in town as well. Eden is darker and stronger than Markus, and she neither has nor desires control of her thirst.

Will Nina find the strength she needs to save herself and her daughter? Will Markus help her, or will Eden sway him to return to the old ways?

Tracey Bateman does an astounding job of interweaving a spiritual message within a tapestry of dark desires. Thirsty is a spine-tingling story of addiction and recovery, love and loss, hope and healing … good and evil. It’s a witness to God’s power to quench a raving thirst, heal a hurting heart, and mend a broken life. A well written, tightly woven, wonderfully mesmerizing tale.

Releasing October 6th, WaterBrook Press.

Review: The Blue Enchantress

by M.L. Tyndall

Hope Westcott has a lifetime of bad choices under her dainty little belt. The most recent one—an affair with a married man—lands her on an auction block to be sold into slavery.

Captain Nathaniel Mason is running from God’s call to the ministry. He is determinedly building a shipping business, ensuring himself a lifetime of security, which he mistakenly believes wealth can buy. His weakness is a secret love for the vain and frivolous Hope Westcott. When he sees her on the auction block, love demands he sacrifice his ship and its cargo to save her.

Nathaniel has every intention of returning his lovely new possession to her home in Chares Towne, but God uses stormy seas, shipwreck, illness, and pirates to waylay the headstrong couple until they see things His way.

The Blue Enchantress is a captivating tale of love, forgiveness, acceptance, personal and spiritual growth, and learning to yield to the Master’s will. M.L. Tyndall breathes such life into her characters that the reader is reluctant to bid them farewell on the last page. This second installment in the Charles Town Belles series is chock full of laughter and tears, sin and redemption, love and its seedier counterpart. The Blue Enchantress is a pirate’s chest of literary treasure … more than worth the voyage!

Review: A Sensible Match

by Teryl Cartwright

One young woman’s attempt to forestall the arranged marriage thrust upon her by a well-meaning parent. A dutiful suitor’s efforts to decide how far he’s willing to go to fulfill his mother’s long-ago promise to a friend. A series of humorous encounters between the young couple arouse a genuine response in the reader, who longs to remove the meddling mothers and allow Abby and Edwin the chance to experience courtship the way it was intended to happen. Can they trust God enough to give their hopes and dreams to Him and allow the Creator of the Universe to mold their futures however He will? Teryl Cartwright’s beautiful love story is woven with wonderfully time-authentic detail and threaded with a fine spiritual thread. A captivating plot, well-rounded characters, a touch of suspense, and a couple of surprising twists keep the pages turning from cover to cover.

Family Time

My brother and sister-in-law, Johnny and JoAnn, just graced my husband and me with a visit. They live in California, and were on their way to see their son and his family in Arkansas. I’m so glad I just happen to be located conveniently on the way!

For about three weeks prior to their visit, I’d been battling a severe attack of fibromyalgia, aggravated by a mild flu. Together, the symptoms left me weak as a kitten and achy to the extreme. I felt like I’d been run over by a truck.

I was, in fact, a little worried about the upcoming visit. Would I be able to stay out of bed long enough to be a hostess? Could I manage to visit and “entertain” well enough to make them feel as welcome as they really were? Would I be back to square one if I didn’t rest enough while they were here?

In hindsight, I wonder why I was concerned. Visits from loved ones always make things better. I think I needed to see them. Nothing beats love as a healer, and of course no one loves you like family.

Our time together was absolutely perfect. We didn’t do a lot—just visited and ate too much, as always. But just having them near for those two days was like a balm to my soul. We cried a little and laughed a lot, and apparently laughter really is the best medicine. I actually feel better physically too after being with them.

So why am I blogging about this visit?

My brother and I realized that we’ve actually seen each other more often since I moved to Oklahoma than we did when we lived four blocks apart in California. It’s so sad, but that’s how it happens a lot of times. We take for granted having our loved ones near, and put off the occasional visits until “tomorrow” or “next week,” and somehow those visits become fewer and further between.

Take time to visit someone you love this week. Make time to do it. You’ll feel better, and so will your loved one.

I promise you.

Review: Maggie Rose

by Sharlene MacLaren

1904. Maggie Rose is the middle daughter of Jacob Kane. She’s spunky and innocent at twenty years old when she leaves her family’s home in Sandy Shores, Michigan in response to God’s call to work with orphans in New York City.

Upon settling in at her new job, Maggie Rose is appalled by the painful pasts of many of the children at Sheltering Arms Refuge. Though she misses her family, she’s amazed by her immediate response to the unfortunate orphans. Each of the children touches Maggie Rose’s heart in a special way, and she finds herself loving them all with whole-hearted love and compassion.

Luke Madison is a news reporter who’s recent losses have left him cynical, hard, and obsessed with finding someone to blame for a tragic shipboard fire that took the lives of over a thousand women and children, including his own aunt and his adored fiancée. His editor firmly removes him from the story that’s too close to his heart, and hands him an assignment covering the city’s street orphans—starting at a family-owned and operated orphanage called Sheltering Arms Refuge.

Between Maggie Rose and the handsome reporter springs up an instant, indefinable animosity…and unwelcome attraction. She needs to focus on her ministry with the children. He’s still in love with a memory. She can never give her heart to a man who doesn’t share her love for Christ. He holds God responsible for his pain and loss. Even the orphans’ sad fates give Luke more reason to turn his back on his Creator.

In this second volume of The Daughters of Jacob Kane, the author paints a vivid picture of caring and compassion, of obedience and dedication to the call of Christ, of love and loss and love renewed. Sharlene MacLaren’s ability to breathe warm, heart-pumping life into her characters is key to the success of her wonderful tales. Maggie Rose is without a doubt character-driven, yet an equally strong, believable plot helps keep the pages turning and the reader’s interest and emotions invested right up to the last line of the last page. Within its pages is a masterpiece of storytelling that contains all the essential ingredients: mystery and suspense; poignancy and pathos; love and romance; humor and heart.

Maggie Rose is an enlightening ride on the early nineteenth century orphan train. By the last rail station, the reader’s heart is waylaid and held hostage by the children, captivated by the innocence and fervor of young Maggie Rose, and forever lost to the journalist who didn’t want to be a part of the story.

Don’t miss this one…