Friday, September 29, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- LEXIE by Kimberly Dean

Lexie (Triple X Book 1) by [Dean, Kimberly]
Desire is a double-edged dance.

Lexie Underhill works her tail off in hopes of winning her adoptive father’s approval. It’s never enough. The stinging proof? He’s brought in a reorganization expert. As if the prospect of losing her job in the family business isn’t enough, Cameron Rowe’s sexy, intimidating presence makes her palms sweat.

When Lexie’s face appears on a scandalous freeway billboard, her protestations of innocence go unheard. With orders to save the family name—or else—she marches into the bar the billboard was advertising and comes face-to-face with an identical twin sister. Roxie is wild and free, everything Lexie isn’t. Before the night is out, she welcomes the chance to explore her own sensuality.

As she dances wantonly on the bar, suddenly Cam is there, kissing her as if he has the right. The sizzle between them breaks out in four-alarm desire, but Lexie has recalibrated her life plan. And the equation doesn’t factor in Cam—until she’s sure where his loyalties lie. With her…or her father’s company. AMAZON

I really liked this book and it kept me involved in the story pretty easily.
Lexie and Cameron made really good characters.   It made me smile that Lexie thought of Cameron as The Hatchet Man.   And even called him that a time or two.  She definitely didn't trust him and saw him as a corporate shark, determined to destroy the family business.   You could feel the tension in the very first chapter.
Cameron played his cards close to his chest even though he knew Lexi was terrified about what he was up to.  He gathered points in my book when he often defended Lexi, even against her own family.
It was pretty clear he thought she was beautiful AND brilliant.  The way he sees it she also works too hard and is underappreciated.  He also wanted her and knew he had a fight on his hands.
I don't want to say too much because the story needs to unfold the way it does.  Just prepare for several surprises and enjoy the ride. 
Yes, there will be several sexual encounters but also a H.E.A. 
I now am interesting in the other books in the series. 


Thursday, September 28, 2017

BOOK REVIEW-WEAVER'S NEEDLE by Robin Caroll

Weaver's Needle by [Caroll, Robin]
Two recovery specialists.
One murder.
A hunt for the Dutchman's Lost Gold Mine becomes a race of survival.


Former Army MP Landry Parker fell into the recovery specialist role quite by accident—to help her ailing father. Now that she’s on her own, she is determined to prove herself and honor her family legacy.

After being shot in the line of duty, former police officer Nickolai Baptiste became a recovery specialist, and he’s good at his job—maybe even the best.
           
A potential client pits Landry and Nickolai against one another to find the Dutchman’s Lost Gold Mine map that was stolen from her murdered husband, and the potential payday is too enticing to pass up. The trail takes them from New Orleans to Weaver’s Needle in Arizona where legend claims the mine is hidden. Landry and Nickolai are no strangers to adventure, but the unlikely partners quickly discover there’s someone after the treasure and there are those who want to ensure the lost mine in Arizona’s Superstition Mountain stays lost forever.

Can Landry and Nickolai work together despite their distrust of each other to save the legend before more innocent lives are lost? Will they find the real treasure isn’t the gold, but something more valuable. . .true love and understanding?  AMAZON  3.5-4 Stars

While I liked this book, I can't say exactly that it is a favorite.  It does have good, intricate main characters.  Both Landry and Nickolai  were really well fleshed out and the reader got a really good idea of who they are.  Their family history is explained early on so that you begin to see what each of them is dealing with.   And I found the name Landry unusual for a woman, but it worked for her and I liked it.  Before I go any further I would like to say that I thought the cover for this eBook was really attractive.  

Anytime someone says Treasure Map, you know people come out of the woodwork trying to get a piece (or all) of it.  This story doesn't disappoint with that truth; it gets to the point where you're not sure who to trust.  Well, except Nickolai and Landry that is.  The story does have a slow start though as I was trying to sort out all the players. 

Something that added more to the story was the Native American aspect.  Native American rituals, religion, shamans and Medicine Man included.  

If I was listing what categories this book would be described as, it would go in this order.   Mystery, romance, and faith (beginning with Landry).  

Something that I thought was unusual was the fact that they were both hired as competition against each other.  Whoever got the job done got paid.  Only one of them got the big pay off although their expenses were paid.  It's just not something that you usually run into in a story.  

A good twist at the end and also a charming end of the book with a H.E.A.  



I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this was my honest opinion of it.











Wednesday, September 27, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- GUESS WHAT? WE'RE MARRIED! by Susan Meier

22153305
TEXAS FAMILY TIES  

MARRIAGE...AMNESIA...LOVE?

At eighteen, Grace Wright and Nick Spinelli eloped. But after one night of unforgettable wedded bliss, Nick mysteriously left town...and Grace never heard from him again.

But guess what? Ten years later, Grace discovered she and Nick were still married! Now Grace wanted no part of this marriage. Until she crashed her car...and awoke with amnesia--in Nick's loving arms! Suddenly Grace could remember nothing but their unforgettable passion. Now how could she leave the only man she'd ever loved...the very man she was determined to keep as her husband?

With bonds stronger than blood, these Texans are about to discover the true meaning of family, friendship...and love   AMAZON   3.5 STARS


Although I liked both of the main characters, and the story sounded good it's not a favorite to me.  Nick just seemed to be caught up in a 18 year old boy/man's mistake and couldn't seem to get past it.  
And he wasn't man enough to own up to the mistakes and face Grace.  He let it slide for ten years which was hard for me to fathom.  He didn't even get the divorce that he said he would take care of.  Oh I understand what was in his past that made him run in the first place but I guess he was one of those that they saying belonged to.  "Lucky in cards (or in his case business) and unlucky in love."  
Although luck really didn't play any part in it at all.  He began to think that it was fate that had thrown her back in his path.  
Grace had a loving family backing her, only not right at the moment because they were all out of town for several weeks, for different reasons.   She never forgot Nick,  or the short lived love they had but she had decided it was time to move on.   The car crash definitely changed everyone's plans.

The story was likable but also somewhat predictable as well. 

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- THE AWAKENING OF HK DERRYBERRY





The Awakening of HK Derryberry is the inspiring story of how one man was willing to step out of his upper middle-class world into the life of a young, disabled boy with a dismal future. Little did Jim Bradford know the transformational potential of that friendship—for HK and himself.
HK Derryberry came into the world with the odds stacked heavily against him. He was taken from his unmarried mother’s womb three months prematurely when she was killed in a car wreck. After ninety-six days of seesawing between life and death, HK’s grandmother took him home.
One Saturday morning Jim Bradford, a successful businessman in his mid-fifties, happens into Mrs. Winner’s Chicken and Biscuits and sees a nine-year-old’s head pressed down against a black plastic boom box with a crooked antenna and three strips of silver duct tape stretched across the battery cover. He can’t help but notice the long, white plastic braces on each of the child’s legs. Mr. Bradford learns that HK’s grandmother is forced to bring him to the fast-food restaurant where she works, leaving him to sit alone all day at a small table, with only his boom box for company. On subsequent Saturdays Jim feels drawn back to the restaurant to meet with HK and begins spending every weekend with him.
Eventually it becomes apparent that buried beneath HK’s severe disabilities is one spectacular ability. He is diagnosed with Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), which involves superlative powers of recollection that enable him to remember everything that has happened to him since the age of three. Less than one hundred people have been diagnosed with HSAM, but none of them have the physical disabilities of HK Derryberry.    AMAZON 5 STARS



What a story and what a Miracle child HK was. The very fact that he lived is miracle number one.  He got exceptionally great care in the hospital but it came with no guarantees that he would survive.  In fact more than once they didn't expect him to.   I'm also glad that the story didn't end there but we get to see so much more of how his life went on from there.  What a great story of a unique friendship and how it started and continued.  And how after many years it became more like they were father and son too, that is so easy to understand.

In some ways this story is also about HK's grandmother, Pearl.  She kept things going through some pretty tough things.  She was creative. determined and persevering.  Not only was she persevering against the health issues HK faced but also against the living paycheck to paycheck.  There were very few people in their lives that could give a helping hand.  Also very little family help, although Pearl's mother did move in and help for 2 years.
I did like that there was mention of some other people who did come along side to help as time went on.
It was encouraging to see that they did gather other people who helped.  For example teachers who saw his potential and put action to that belief.


I knew this story would probably be a tear-jerker and I waited to start it because of that.  I had to psych myself up because I knew it could get to me and it did.   It was also often times humbling to read.  Just the joy that a small boy had at the opportunity to have chocolate milk.  The chocolate milk story all on its own was something else.  There is laughter too, I can't leave that part out either.  Many, many examples of howling laughter shared.

One of my favorite explanations of HK that Jim used is that he is a Pick pocket.  People would meet him and their hearts were captured.  He gained his own little band of merry men and women who he charmed.   Opportunity after opportunity opens up to HK and its exciting to read about it.  You know all of his challenges aren't over but these glimpses into these opportunities of meeting people and doing things most "normal" people don't lighten the story.
There is one thing that the Jim said  that really stood out and really struck a cord of truth.   He thought that the world could be such a better place if it saw life the way HK did.  He saw it through his heart instead of his eyes.


The pictures included in the book was a bonus that I wasn't necessarily expecting.
There several recommendations/praises for the book in the front of it.  My favorite has to be the one that
Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medalist, wrote. I am also very happy Andy Hardin helped with this project so that this story could be told.

I received a copy of this book via Handlebar Publishing and this is my honest opinion of it. 

Friday, September 22, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- AN INCONVENIENT BEAUTY by Kristi Ann Hunter


Griffith, Duke of Riverton, likes order, logic, and control, and he naturally applies this rational approach to his search for a bride. He's certain Miss Frederica St. Claire is the perfect wife for him, but while Frederica is strangely elusive, he can't seem to stop running into her stunningly beautiful cousin, Miss Isabella Breckenridge.

Isabella should be enjoying her society debut, but with her family in difficult circumstances, her uncle will only help them if she'll use her beauty to assist him in his political aims. Already uncomfortable with this agreement, the more she comes to know Griffith, the more she wishes to be free of her unfortunate obligation.

Will Griffith and Isabella be able to set aside their pride and face their fears in time to find their own happily-ever-after?  AMAZON  3.5 STARS

The opening chapter to the book was interesting and different.  It also explained some of the influences that make a big impact on Griffith and his future choices. 

The book was okay with likable main characters.  Griffith was observed as a problem solver and he has his work cut out for him in this.  He is up to the challenge though when he began to understand what some of them were.  And how he felt about them and "Bella". 
The main flaw that I would mention is that it felt like it went on a bit too long at times.

There were some good people who were secondary but added to the story.  Frederica, Isabella's cousin was one of those people.    Quite a bit of mention was made to her one unfortunate feature; her rather large nose.  But she had such a sweet, good-hearted nature. She also had a somewhat "doomed" love for a man in the military.  One that her father has done everything he can think of to block , some of it is really dangerous. Percy is not a man to be easily crossed.

Speaking of Uncle Percy, he is one obsessed, manipulative man.  Nothing seems to low for him to do to get what he wants.  And Isabella's beauty is something that he thinks he can use to his benefit.  He has a bill that he desperately wants passed and he sees Isabella as the "bee"to draw men in so that he can influence them.   

Other people in the story that were amusing were some of Griffith's family members.  They were amused as they had a better handle on what was going on with him.  They knew before he did what and who he needed.  He had his rigid, well planned list of characteristics he considered important in the woman he would marry.  But he begins to realize he probably should tear it up because all he could see was Isabella.  Oh not at first of course, but just being around her begins to wear him down.  
One thing that continues throughout the story is the fact that Griffith only dances with family.  So of course any time he is at a ball, everyone keeps an eager eye on him.  If he asks a woman to dance that is not of his family, it's seen as almost a public declaration of the woman he wants to marry.  Now that was something I found unusual but also funny at times.  Funny because more than one woman tried to maneuver him to dance with them.  He was pretty good at getting out of it without being totally rude.  But the one woman he wanted to dance with and marry was not making it easy for him. 



I received a copy of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley and this was my honest opinion of it.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- FIRST TIME LOVERS by Kylie Knight


She’s so bad…
Tall, tatted, and tempting—that’s what Max Dornan was.
And she had a bad attitude.
So why is it I can’t stop thinking about her?
About that long silky black hair and those long legs wrapped around me?
I’m a CEO, a billionaire, and a twin. A real nice guy, or so they tell me.
Yet when it comes to Max all I want to be, is bad.

…He’s good
People see my tattoos, my surly attitude and they think they know me.
Just like the suit—Brooks is his name.
He’s tall, dark, and handsome. And he needs my help.
When I agreed to help him out temporarily, I didn’t expect to like him.
I didn’t expect to end up in his bed. 
And I never expected to fall for him.

We were all wrong for each other, the bad girl and the good guy. But somehow together, we were pretty damn perfect.  AMAZON  4 STARS



This book made me smile more than once.  
Brooks constantly is found suffering from foot-in-mouth disease when it comes to Max.  He's not a bad guy but he sure didn't learn his learn the first time when it came to taking his bad temper out on Max.  Oh, she forgave him and then she pretty much shut him out EACH TIME. Brooks spent an awful lot of time trying to get back in her life.  
I like the way Max refereed to Brooks as The Suit.  It's not all his fault thought that he is snobbish in some ways. I began to suspect that wasn't really who he was at heart.  And that began to show up more and more as the story goes on.  His foster parents is where most of the blame can be laid; they really weren't all that likable at all.  And Max begins to question why he really even cares what they think.

Max has had a gut full of other people just tolerating her or judging her as not measuring up and expecting her to be thankful for it.  The foster homes she was in taught her that cruel lesson years ago.    So she doesn't let many people close or take much guff either.  She just shuts down and moves on when people hurt her.  But Rosie?  His daughter is someone that she is totally open and herself with.  And why not, she's just as cute as she can be.  Nola is another person who Max is the same way with.  Nola is her best friend, and Brooks' sister-in-law.   Both Nola and Bronx (Brooks twin brother) are good characters who shoot from the hip when it comes to telling the truth.  Something that Brooks doesn't always appreciate but needs.  And so does Max and they are as honest with her as they are with him.
There is friendship, and romance to the story but there is also a lot of hot sex.  Just letting you know. 

I received a ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion of it. 

Developing Your Destiny Episode 5- (You have no chance of being Ordinary ever again)

We are moving into a new place of favor where we inhabit His word in a dramatic new lifestyle that is a major upgrade from our old one.

Everything about Jesus is dramatic.

Because the Kingdom showed up everywhere He went, drama happened all around Him. Now, we are part of that drama because Jesus is in us.

We have no chance of being ordinary ever again; we are extraordinary.

Everything is dramatically different because we are Christians who have an upgraded sense of who we are.
Now, our lives are the best drama in the world because they are full of who Jesus is.

We are learning to change the way we see, think, and act because we are being made brilliant in Jesus.   BRILLIANT PERSPECTIVES/GRAHAM COOKE

+

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- THE SECOND TIME AROUND (The Worthingtons) by Ella Quinn

The Second Time Around (The Worthingtons) by [Quinn, Ella]
Can a beautiful Worthington widow find love again? Depends on who’s asking . . .

Before he died, Patience was the Earl of Worthington’s second wife. So why shouldn’t Patience be allowed a second chance at marriage, too? Of course, finding a new husband was not something the mother of four had ever planned on. But a surprise encounter with her first love has suddenly made the impossible seem possible all over again . . .

It seems like a lifetime ago that Richard, Viscount Wolverton, was halfway around the world, looking for adventure . . . while Patience, at her coming-out, was left with no choice but to take old Worthington’s hand. Richard never forgot the woman whose heart he yearned for—and now that he’s back, he’s not going to let her slip away again . . .AMAZON 4 Stars

I liked this sweet and at times bitter-sweet story.  Patience and Richard had missed so much time together.  Bad decisions and some manipulations had stolen from them. 

On the plus side is that they are both still in love with each other.  Richard is embracing in, vowing on to let her go.  And of course Pae is fighting it, she has a lot to lose.   "How in the world would a romance work out for them?" is a question that Pae (Richard's nickname for her) keeps running over and over in her mind.   And so did I, there were conditions that she couldn't overcome when it came to who had guardianship over her children and she had no choice.   It was either Richard or her children.  
Or is it?  All the children of the household work together like a team and once again Louisa (Patience oldest daughter) has some good ideas.

There will be a H.EA. but they have a lot of help from others getting there.  It's a good shorter story. 

There is a quick peek into Louisa's story and now I want to read that one. 

BOOK REVIEW- WHEN A MARQUIS CHOOSES A BRIDE (The Worthingtons Book 2) BY Ella Quinn

When a Marquis Chooses a Bride (The Worthingtons Book 2) by [Quinn, Ella]
Thanks to their large extended family and unconventional courtship, the Worthingtons have seen their share of scandal and excitement. But nothing has prepared them for this...The Dowager Lady Worthington isn’t quite sure what to make of country-girl Dorothea Stern. As the granddaughter of the Duke of Bristol, Dotty is schooled in the ways and means of the nobility. But her sharp wit and outspoken nature has everyone in a tizzy. Especially their cousin, Dominic, the Marquis of Merton.

Prematurely stuffy, Dom was raised by his cheerless uncle to be wary of a host of things, including innovation, waltzing, and most perilous of all: true love. Still, there’s something about Dotty, beyond her beauty, that Dom cannot resist. But the odds are against him if he intends to win her as his bride. Will he choose loyalty to his family—or risk everything for the one woman he believes is his perfect match…
AMAZON  5 stars


I really enjoyed this book as well.  It is the second one that I have read of the series and it just makes me want to read more of them.  I will admit I did hesitate before I read this one.  Why?  Because I wasn't sure how in the world Dom could become even a barely likable main character.  I was introduced to him in the first book and there wasn't a whole lot to like.  He was snobbish, stiff and very aware of his being a Marquis.  And he spent a lot of time trying to convince people of his superiority.  Basically he was handsome; until he opened his mouth.  Now you can see my dilemma right? 
It made me smile that Worthington's sisters called Dominic, "His Marquisship."  The youngest girl, Theodora started it and it stuck. 

I was relieved to find that eventually more of Dom's story comes out and he became a more sympathetic character.  His childhood after his father died was so sad in what he missed.  When his uncle, Alasdair took over his life (and that is what he did) he tried to make a carbon copy of himself and pretty much sucked all the joy out of his life.  But that comes out bit by bit as you read.  I don't think  I am giving too much away by saying that much.  You had to be there.  
Once Dom saw Dotty (or Thea as he began to call her) his life began to change.  It began to thaw him and turned his life upside down.  It was way outside his comfort zone, but it was so good to watch.  

Dotty has the heart for the helpless, the downtrodden and is well know to rescue animals and people alike.  Imagine the trouble she will find; yes, there will be plenty of action to the story just in this area alone.  And you can see how that is going to collide with how Dom has been raised.  Dotty sees Dom differently than both his own family and the Worthington's.  With her, she saw a different side to him; something of value.  And Dom does get drawn into her rescues, almost like a tide pulling him in.  No one has ever looked at him like she has.  She is not stupid though, she also hears the unflattering opinions of her friends.  

For me, I was so much fun to see the members of the past cast of characters.  And some of the new ones like Eunice (Dom's mother) who is finally able to get closer to her son and to try to help him.  A young boy named Tom who is rescued by Dotty adds another layer of interest and intrigue to the story.  There is another character of the animal kingdom is also rescued by Dotty and Dom (yes, he got pulled into a kittens rescue too.)  But Cyrille is no ordinary cat and does a lot to bring smiles to the reader and more thawing to Dom.  

There is plenty of other plots going on, action, mysteries to be solved and a very good H.E.A.  

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Casting Crowns - Oh My Soul (Lyric Video)



Part of the song says..this is the Valley and  even now He is breathing on your dry bones....You're not alone

BOOK REVIEW- THREE WEEKS TO WED (The Worthingtons Book 1) by Ella Quinn

Three Weeks To Wed (The Worthingtons Book 1) by [Quinn, Ella]
In the first book of her dazzling new series, bestselling author Ella Quinn introduces the soon-to-be Earl and Countess of Worthington--lovers who have more in common than they yet know. The future promises to be far from boring…

Lady Grace Carpenter is ready to seize the day--or rather, the night--with the most compelling man she's ever known. Marriage would mean losing guardianship of her beloved siblings, and surely no sane gentleman will take on seven children not his own. But if she can have one anonymous tryst with Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, Grace will be content to live out the rest of her life as a spinster. 

Matt had almost given up hope of finding a wife who could engage his mind as well as his body. And now this sensual, intelligent woman is offering herself to him. What could be more perfect? Except that after one wanton night, the mysterious Grace refuses to have anything to do with him. Amid the distractions of the Season he must convince her, one delicious encounter at a time, that no obstacle--or family--is too much for a man who's discovered his heart's desire…AMAZON  4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book a lot.  It was unusual but also charming.
 Both of the main characters had a lot going for them.  Both had a lot of responsibility on their shoulders as well.  Grace had to fight hard to keep her brothers and sisters together.  Many of her relatives wanted to piece meal them to different relatives.  No one to take on all of them together.  No one except Grace that is.   But she has one major strike against her.  She is a woman and a single one at that.  After a long battle, she finally has a couple of relatives support her decision and she will do anything to keep the family together.  She is also convinced that no man would really want to take them all on, even if he says that he would in the beginning.  So she is all set to remain a spinster.  When she re-met Matt, she was willing to have one night with him.  She was unaware of how hard that was going to be.
Matt on the other hand took one look at her, spent some time with her prior to the bedroom play and he fell head long in long.  Insta-love is not always something I enjoy in a story but there is one statement that I am reminded of that made it so much better.  When one of the very important Ladies of the ton was "interrogating" Grace, she began showing her approval for them as a couple.  She said that, "Anyone who counts knows that the Vivers men fall hard and fast."  And that is exactly what happened.  And he wasn't letting go of her no matter how hard she made things, and there were plenty of challenges.    He was such a good guy.  
Edgar Molton, the ne'er-do-well uncle of Grace's family, is someone everyone hoped never showed up in England again.   Ah, but there is another challenge, because you know sooner or later, he will.  And there will be trouble. Can they outrun it?

I will say, it's a good thing they both had plenty of money,  because there were a lot of children and financial responsibilities.  I did like how they worked things out.
There are some really good secondary people in the story as well.  Here are a few of the people who added to the story:

Patience-Matt's step-mother

Charlotte (Grace's sister) and Louisa (Matt's sister) both have a coming out into society

"Theo" (Theodora)  and Mary-  Theo is Matt's spunky sister, Mary is Grace's sweet youngest sister and they both become pretty close, pretty quickly.

Jane, who is Grace's cousin and companion.   She also has an unexpected encounter of her own.

I liked how they to families start to work together before they are even officially the new blended family. 


Oh and did I mention the Great Danes?  


Sunday, September 17, 2017

Prophetic Prayer: Angels of Breakthrough Being Released in This Season |...

BOOK REVIEW- THE EARL TAKES ALL by Lorraine Heath

The Earl Takes All by [Heath, Lorraine]
One summer night, Edward Alcott gives in to temptation and kisses Lady Julia Kenney in a dark garden. However, the passion she stirs within him is best left in the shadows as she weds his twin, the Earl of Greyling. But when tragedy strikes, to honor the vow he makes to his dying brother, Edward must pretend to be Greyling until the countess delivers her babe.
After her husband returns from a two-month sojourn, Julia finds him changed. Bolder, more daring, and more wicked—even if he does limit their encounters to kisses. With each passing day, she falls more deeply in love.
For Edward the embers of desire sparked on that long-ago night are quickly rekindled. He yearns to be her husband in truth. But if she discovers his ruse, she will despise him—and English law prevents him from marrying his brother’s widow. Yet he must dare to risk everything and reveal his secrets if he is to truly take all.  AMAZON  5 STARS

A great story; it rang all the bells for me. It was emotional, and bitter-sweet at times too.  There were regrets but they came through without dragging the story down.  

Edward, Julia and even Albert were good main characters.  It was so sad that when Edward let the world think he was the one who died, very few people mourned his loss.  Most felt that he had accomplished almost nothing and had led a pretty worthless life.  Edward did have some close friends who valued him and stood by to help him as much as they could without endangering their integrity.

Julia had been faithful to her husband, someone she loved and had missed while he had been gone for 4 months on the African trip.  She missed the intimacy, friendship and their closeness.  They also had not been intimate for some months prior to the trip because of her pregnancy.  

Edward ends up showing he has more strength and goodness in him than most people including Julia thought.  I ended up liking him more as the story went on.
When the truth comes out to Julia about who he really is, you know it will come out badly and of course it does. The truth comes out in one of the worst possible ways and as expected stirs up a hornets nest.  
This story kept me involved all the way through and has some interesting twists and surprises toward the end.  
I had wondered how on earth things would turn out well for all and enjoyed the answer to that question.  
I was very satisfied with the ending.   

For the One (Lyric Video) // After All These Years // Brian and Jenn Joh...

Whisper (Official Lyric Video) // A Table Full Of Strangers // Jason Upton

Take Courage + Spontaneous Worship | Kristene DiMarco

Joy Unspeakable (Spontaneous) // Steffany Gretzinger

Kat Kerr - Eye Exercices (Bye bye glasses)

Friday, September 15, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- ENTICING MISS EUGENIE Villaret by Ella Quinn

Enticing Miss Eugenie Villaret (The Marriage Game Book 5) by [Quinn, Ella]
William, Viscount Wivenly, plans to remain the most eligible of bachelors. He refuses to surrender to the schemes of husband-hunting ladies and matchmaking mamas. Fleeing the pressure of the ton, he's bent on finding refuge in the West Indies. What he finds instead is a fascinating stranger, a woman so unlike those of his society that he can't resist such a beguiling distraction. . .

Determined to let nothing complicate her mission to protect her family's livelihood while covertly rescuing orphaned slave children, Miss Eugénie Villaret does her best to evade suitors. But when dashing William lures her down a path of forbidden adventure and delicious danger, she may be convinced that business can indeed be mixed with pleasure—and persuaded to add passion to her priorities. . . AMAZON 4 stars

Great main characters; although I wasn't so sure about William at first.  It was funny how he was trying to outrun the socialites trying to compromise him into marriage.  They were after his title more than they were personally after him.  But he really started off on the wrong foot with Eugenie when he met her and thought she was a prostitute.  So of course he finally figured out he insulted and took some liberties with a Lady.  Now he has his work cut out for him to try to convince Eugenie to marry him.  

Two other people who play good parts in the story is Cicely, Eugenie's friend and Andrew, who is William's best friend.  They have their own romance going on.  

There are several plots trying to work against Eugenie's best interests and also against her father Nathan, who is believed dead. There is also a lot of greedy people who only see Eugenie as a commodity for their greed.  

I also enjoyed the really good descriptions of the culture and West Indies area.  

The Blessing of Double

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Unleash your greatness/The Truth about your Kingdom Birthright

‘It’s time to discover your birthright—your royal identity. It’s time to both worship and rule. It’s time to pick up your crown!’



You have a Royal Identity

Honor Your Birthright!

You are born again with a birthright. You are royal by birth!

It is not earned. You do not have to do anything to deserve it.
and

The Kingdom of God is not like an Earthly Royal Family.

In an earthly royal family, there is one reigning monarch who has all the responsibility. The sons and daughters enjoy the privilege and favor of royalty, without a responsibility to rule.
However, in this royal family, we have authority in Jesus’ Name. We have a responsibility to exercise His rule and reign on earth (Psalm 115:16, Matt 6:10).
If we are to be in the ‘family business’ (Luke 2:49) that means we must both serve and reign with Christ.
This is what intimacy looks like for our God: sons and daughters who will not only be with Him, but rule with Him. We honor our Father as we bear His likeness.

Go to this site to read the whole article  Helen Calder

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- SADIE'S HIGHLANDER by Maeve Greyson

Sadie's Highlander: A Highland Protector Novel (Highland Protectors) by [Greyson, Maeve]
Highland warrior Alec MacDara and his brothers traveled forward in time to protect the sacred Heartstone. Their cover? Owners and operators of a theme park called Highland Life and Legends. As the chairman, Alec has been fending off requests to film at the breathtaking property. It’s only because of the charming correspondence from an enterprising production assistant that he agrees to a meeting at all. That’s when Alec meets a woman whose lush curves make him forget, for the first time, all about tenth-century Scotland.

A lowly assistant for her sister’s motion picture company, wannabe screenwriter Sadie Williams is shocked when Alec agrees to let them film at the park upon one condition: that she report to him daily. Sadie’s sister always told her that their parents only adopted her because they felt sorry for the ugly little stray. But Alec looks at Sadie like she’s the most tempting creature in the world. And with his gleaming, musclebound body stripped down to nothing but a hip-hugging kilt and boots, Alec clearly knows a little something about temptation.AMAZON   3.5 STARS

Alec and Sadie are good main characters.  They each have wildly different pasts.  Alec is a warrior through and through.  He is fierce but also lovingly kind to those he loves.  And Sadie has quickly caught his attention.  Sadie has been despised most of her life especially by her selfish ruthless sister, Delia.  Sadie was adopted into the family but that didn't make it an easy ride.  Even Sadie's adoptive parents weren't all that loving to either of them when they were alive.  Now, Delia has even more control over the small inheritance that Sadie has and control over her dreams as a screenwriter.  Way too much control for someone so evil.  
Dwyn, is someone who adds to the story as do Alec's mother and sister as do a couple of other people.  They play a more minor supporting role because the main focus is on Alec and Sadie.  And they are trying to get to know each other and stay ahead of conniving Delia.  
If you haven't guessed it already Sadie has some major trust issues, as well as poor self-esteem, and body image.  All of which makes Alec's wooing of her more difficult.  As if that weren't enough challenges to overcome, add to that several major secrets that Alec has. 

This is an adult story for several reasons..some language and definitely more sex than I expected.  

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

Monday, September 11, 2017

BOOK REVIEW-WYOMING BOLD by Diana Palmer

Wyoming Bold (Wyoming Men Book 3) by [Palmer, Diana]
Former border agent Dalton Kirk thought his life was over—literally—when a gang of smugglers left him for dead. Defying all odds, he survives his ordeal and returns to his Wyoming ranch ready to dedicate his future to a more peaceful home on the range. Until lovely Merissa Baker knocks on his door. 

Merissa is well aware of her reputation as the local eccentric—she knows things before they happen—and she's had a vision that Dalton is in danger. Even though her beliefs clash with Dalton's cowboy logic, she's determined to save the handsome rancher she's secretly loved forever. 

Visions? It's all ridiculous to Dalton…until things start happening that prove Merissa right. And now Dalton is not the only target—so is Merissa. Can Dalton be bold enough to trust the unknown? Is this Wyoming man ready to love?  AMAZON 4 STARS


Good main characters and supporting characters as well.  The story starts out in a quirky but interesting way.  Both Merissa and her mother, Clara are not the usual people, in fact they are considered by many to be outcasts.  They aren't dangerous just so different from what most people consider the norm.  They each have a form of second sight which freaks people out.  Those that don't ridicule them that is.  Merissa is such a tender-hearted woman, who has been through quite a lot.  Her father who disappeared from her life years ago was one of the troubles.  He terrorized both Merissa and her mother before he left. He was also physically abusive to Clara.

Dalton or Tank as he is affectionately called, falls under her spell pretty quickly.  It was sweet to watch.  He was tough but as caring to those he cared about.  And Merissa and her mother came into that category.  I liked that he was so kind to Clara as well.  He quickly considered them both his girls and he was really protective of them, as much as they would allow.  The other members of his family added a lot to the story as well as other people to come to help.
Merissa came to warn Tank of danger coming for him and it sure comes in more than one direction.  
The story  has great twists and turns and surprises.  

Saturday, September 9, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- DREAM ME by Kathryn Berla

Dream Me by [Berla, Kathryn]
Every night Babe dreams of a boy she’s never met before named Zat. But Zat is no ordinary daydream. He’s actually a human from the distant future, who has travelled back in time to be with Babe in the only way that he can be—in her dreams. But the dreams leave Babe more and more tired and pained each morning. Zat is determined to help her, even if it means never sharing dreams with her again.AMAZON

A good YA story.  It's different, definitely different.  Both Babe and Zat are interesting characters. Zat brought surprise after surprise. But not in an overwhelming way.  He was kind of out of step with the people of his time.  He was a dreamer and he wanted different things.  He was also willing to take a risk that others weren't willing to.  Babe was a gutsy, fun person, who got used to having to move around as her dad found work as a golf pro.  She learned to adapt to new places and people. There were times that Babe wondered if she was going crazy or had a brain tumor.  Was any of it with Zat real?
As things go along, the challenges that they face made me really wonder how things could ever work out for them.  Would they work out or were they headed to disaster?  I thought that more than once.

Mai, LeGrand and Alfonso were some good people who were added to Babe's life.  Young people with dreams, skills and problems all their own.
This book does have a twist at the end.  Part I was hoping for and the other part was a complete surprise.
This book was a clean story with some good world building when it came to the future Earth.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

Friday, September 8, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- LADY EVE'S INDISCRETION by Grace Burrowes

Lady Eve's Indiscretion (Windham Book 7) by [Burrowes, Grace]
Lady Eve's Got The Perfect Plan
Pretty, petite Evie Windham has been more indiscreet than her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Moreland, suspect. Fearing that a wedding night would reveal her past, she's running out of excuses to dodge adoring swains. Lucas Denning, the newly titled Marquis of Deene, has reason of his own for avoiding marriage. So Evie and Deene strike a deal, each agreeing to be the other's decoy. At this rate, matrimony could be avoided indefinitely...until the two are caught in a steamy kiss that no one was supposed to see.  AMAZON 3.5 STARS


This book had really good main characters, it's too bad the pace was SO slow.  It did give time to see a friendship develop between Evie and Denne but the the pace just about killed it for me.  
Some of the secondary people in the story were interesting, even Dolan who had become Denne's nemesis.  They had a hate going on that flowed both ways.  There is also another enemy hiding in the background.  I started suspecting what was going on pretty quickly.  But the "snake" was pretty good and slithering around in the background.  

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Calm Your Bladder & Pee Less Often


Do you often feel the urge to pee and feel like you just can't hold it? Do you head to the bathroom far more than you think is normal? You may have overactive bladder (OAB), a condition that affects about 33 million Americans. With OAB, people experience sudden urges to urinate that they can't control, as well as the need to urinate frequently. People with OAB may also leak when they experience the urge to urinate.

Who Gets OAB?

According to the American Urological Association, up to 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women in the U.S. experience OAB symptoms. Women who have gone through menopause and men who have had prostate problems have a greater risk for OAB. And risk increases with age. In addition, some medications may cause or worsen urinary symptoms. These include blood pressure drugs—diuretics and a class called alpha blockers (Cardura, Minipress)—antidepressants and sleeping medications.
Doctors diagnose OAB based on a physical exam, symptoms of frequency and urgency, and other test results. Urinary frequency is defined as urinating at least eight times in a 24-hour period. You may also wake up to urinate two or three times a night. In about 40 percent of patients, OAB resolves on its own within a year, but most people suffer from symptoms for years.
READ THE REST HERE: Calm Your Bladder

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Calling in Your Harvest

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - Calling in Your Harvest



Kenneth Copeland Ministries - 3 Ways to Activate the Spirit of Increase

Kenneth Copeland Ministries - 3 Ways to Activate the Spirit of Increase

Steven Brooks - Sid Roth - It's SupernaturalSid Roth – It's Supernatural

Steven Brooks - Sid Roth - It's SupernaturalSid Roth – It's Supernatural


When there is a disconnect with promises for healing and family salvations, what then? Steven Brooks was caught up to Heaven to learn the answer. He says you are the catalyst for their release.

BOOK REVIEW- THE SUBSTITUTE BRIDE by Kathleen O'Brien

The Substitute Bride (The Great Wedding Giveaway Series Book 7) by [O"Brien, Kathleen]athleen
The Great Wedding Giveaway - Book 7

Once upon a time, Marly Akers had believed that, for better or worse, people made their own luck…

Marly wonders how she could ever have believed it. Jilted and pregnant, she’s come back to Marietta with her tail between her legs, the blow to her ego huge as she begins working at her family’s small newspaper, the Copper Mountain Courier, and sharing a tiny apartment with her disapproving mom.

Things can’t get any worse. Or maybe they can. Drake Everett, who secretly captured her teenaged heart and then publicly trampled on it, decides to make her re-acquaintance. Though Drake isn’t the sharp, funny, cocky, arrogant rich boy of yore. These days he seems sharp, funny… and supportive and decent, and Marly realizes she could fall for him all over again… if she listens to her heart. But what about her reporter’s head, which has sniffed out a story that paints Drake as the sweet talker she’s always known…?  AMAZON  3.5 Stars

This book was a quick often charming story.  
Both Marly and Drake had a lot more depth to them than one might think at first glance.  I really liked honorable, kind of quirky Marly.  She had a humorous way at looking at things. Even with being really serious about things as well.  Drake has a lot more going on underneath his charming, laughing ways.  It has been his way to cope with a lot of pain in his growing up; something that most people didn't know about.  Most people just assumed he was the golden boy and that included Marly.  
The secondary people were interesting as well. One of those is Marly's mom who was also more complex than she first appeared.    
There is no cliffhanger and there is a H.E.A. coming.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- THE BILLIONAIRE PRINCESS by Christina Tetreault

The Billionaire Princess (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 3) by [Tetreault, Christina]
She was raised as an American Princess

Following the betrayal of a former lover, Sara Sherbrooke swore off relationships, too afraid she would be used again. Instead she has devoted all her energy to succeeding in politics without relying on her family name. That is until one night in Hawaii with her brother's best friend Christopher Hall. 

He is a self-made billionaire

Technological genius and CEO of Hall Technology, Christopher Hall first met Sara Sherbrooke when he and Jake Sherbrooke were college roommates. While attending Jake's wedding in Hawaii, Christopher is reintroduced to Sara, a beauty who was once way out of his league. But now as the most eligible bachelor in Silicon Valley, the only thing stopping Christopher from pursuing Sara is the thought of betraying his best friend. 

As they work together to promote a new education initiative, neither can deny the attraction between them. But will their growing romance be worth all of the consequences?  AMAZON 3 stars

This book COULD have been so much better.  After all, it had the right ingredients to start with.  Good main characters, people you could care about.  Good secondary people in the story too. 

 I liked that there were educated, creative, challenging careers for both Christopher and Sara.  But for me it just fell flat after awhile.  I think some of those reasons were because it had too much time spent in the angst of, "what will Jake think?.  Too much angst of the guy code of Christopher not telling Jake he was "dating" his sister.  The fear that Christopher had of losing his long standing friendship with Jake if he pursued Sara. While I understood it, it just felt like too much time was spent on that.  
 For two successful adults to deal with Jake by avoiding him for so long, come on, I had a problem with that.  

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

BOOK REVIEW- CRISIS SHOT by Janice Cantore



Tess O’Rourke dreams of becoming the first female chief of police in Long Beach, California. As commander of the East Division, she is well on her way . . . until the night she responds to an officer-needs-assistance call and fatally shoots an unarmed teenager. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, Tess is so hounded by the public that she takes a job in Oregon to escape the bad press.

Winning over the residents of Rogue’s Hollow might be more difficult than adjusting to her new role as police chief in the small, backwater town. Especially when her closest friend, the pastor’s wife, goes missing and the woman’s cousin is found shot. Tess finds an ally in sheriff’s deputy Steve Logan, but as they track down Rogue’s Hollow’s first murderer, she worries that she’s breaking one of her rules and getting too close to him.   AMAZON 4 STARS


This book had interesting main characters, and interesting challenges.  Tess is over-qualified for her job in the small town she goes to.  She also isn't welcomed by all. In fact, there is a lot of hostility coming her way.There is also instances of challenges to people's personal faith.  The pastor Oliver and his wife Anna welcome Tess but they are facing a very serious almost hopeless health challenge.  With more challenges to come.  I really liked Oliver and he played a big part in this story as well.  I liked the way that he was portrayed.  Not a sanctimonious, self righteous wrath of God kind of pastor but someone with a heart for people.

The interaction between Steve and Tess doesn't start to become more of the story until about Chapter 23.  He does show up several times before that, just kind of popping into the story until then.  If you are looking for a romance in this book, it isn't happening.  But what is happening is the promise of one.  
The action kept me on the edge of my seat and I didn't stop until I got to The End.  
The emotional parts of the story were so well done as well. Gabriel Bender was another person in Tess's department who was not happy about her being chief.  And he wasn't shy about letting it be known.  He added an interesting edge to the story.  It seemed that there were more in law enforcement than just Bender who didn't want to work with her.  They were also bold in letting her know it.  Sure Tess, was hurt by it but she just kept putting one foot in front of the other and doing what she knew to do.  It was easy to pull for her to win; she was a professional to the bone.  But someone who was not only smart but with a really big heart too.  I also liked that Tess had other supporters of her being Chief of Police and Oliver and Anna were numbered among those.  
On a side note, I just want to mention that I read a book some years ago by Janice Cantore and enjoyed it so much that I now keep an eye out for anything else that she writes.  This was a good one.  

To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, I am mentioning  that Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.  And this is my honest opinion of it.