The Christmas Angel Project by Melody Carlson

Title: The Christmas Angel Project

Author: Melody Carlson

Pages: 176

Year: 2016

Genre: Inspirational Christmas Story

Publisher: Revell

Format: eBook (also available in hardcover)

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this story through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Perfect for readers who want a heartwarming and hopeful Christmas story.

     Five women from different walks of life have become close friends through their book club—enjoying one another’s company even more than they enjoy the books. So when the leader of the book club unexpectedly passes away on the cusp of the Christmas season, the four remaining friends are stunned. They relief on Abby for inspiration and motivation. She was the glue that held them together, and they’re sure that without her the group can’t continue.

     When the group gathers “one last time” to open a bag Abby’s husband gives them, they find Abby had made each of them an angel ornament for Christmas, crafted especially for each woman and accompanied by a sweet and personal note. Inspired by their beloved friend, together Cassidy, Louisa, Grace, and Belinda decide to commit themselves to becoming Christmas Angels to others in need. Each woman will use her life situation and talents to reach out and help others in her own unique way—little knowing that her own life and her relationships will be changed forever.

     Fan favorite Melody Carlson is back with another touching Christmas story sure to grip readers’ hearts and perhaps inspire them to become Christmas Angels themselves.

My review:

     An absolutely delightful Christmas story!

     The cast of characters is wonderful. They are very different from each other, but each one is extremely well developed. Each of the four women who make up the book group goes on a personal journey of emotional growth after their mutual friend dies suddenly.

     I thoroughly enjoyed the way they worked together to figure out what they could do to honor their friend’s memory. I was fascinated by the very special projects that they became involved in. Four very different projects that were tailor made for each of them.

     I love Melody’s Christmas stories. They are so uplifting and encouraging. I don’t think you can go wrong in spending a few hours reading this wonderful story. I’m highly recommending it and giving it a 5 star rating.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Holiday Secrets (McKade Law #1) by Susan Sleeman

Title: Holiday Secrets (McKade’s Law #1)

Author: Susan Sleeman

Pages: 217

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

DEADLY HOLIDAY REUNION

     When his ex is thrust into the crosshairs of a deadly syndicate, FBI agent Gavin McKade will do whatever it takes to protect her. Even work the case with his stubborn sheriff dad. Gavin’s holiday homecoming isn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but he must set aside the past to make sure Lexie Grant survives. As if protecting Lexie from professional killers isn’t difficult enough, the unlikely reunion has rekindled their complicated romantic connection. But if Gavin can’t untangle Lexie from this dangerous web, the blurring line between duty and love may not matter…because this Christmas could be their last.   

My review:

     An outstanding romantic suspense novel!

     I love this new cast of characters for this series! They are incredibly well developed. I’m really looking forward to learning more about the McKade family as the series progresses. 

     Both Lexie and Gavin are burdened down from past wounds. I wanted so badly to see them each let go of the pain and move on with their lives. They needed to learn how to forgive and trust God.

     The plot really kept me guessing. I was completely amazed when the truth was revealed.

     This is a fantastic start to a new series. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book when it comes out. I am giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.    

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Behind the Scenes (Apart From the Crowd #1) by Jen Turano

Title: Behind the Scenes (Apart From the Crowd #1)

Author: Jen Turano

Pages: 352

Year: 2017

Genre: Historical Romantic Comedy

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     After spending the last six years banished to the wallflower section of the ballroom, Miss Permilia Griswold has finally figured out a way to pass the time at all the New York high-society events she attends. Under the pseudonym “Miss Quill,” she is the author of society gossip columns filled with tidbits only an insider in society—albeit one on the fringes—would know.

     When she overhears a threat against Mr. Asher Rutherford, the owner of one of the most up-and-coming department stores in the city, she’s determined to warn him. But the irritatingly handsome man doesn’t believe her, leaving her no choice but to take matters into her own hands. What she doesn’t anticipate is that she’ll end up putting herself at risk in the process—or that she and Mr. Rutherford, a man with secrets of his own, just might end up joining forces after all.

My review:

     A laugh-out-loud funny historical romantic comedy!

     This wonderful book is filled with an incredible cast of quirky characters! I love both of the main characters especially. Many of the names are so unusual that just saying them out loud put a smile on my face. I have no idea how the author came up with them.

     Miss Permilia Griswold has found her own way to make her life more tolerable. She has even found a way to feel that she is contributing to the world. I was extremely amused by her antics. It was very clear from the beginning that she was in a very real sense a fish-out-of-water. As the story progressed more and more information is revealed as to how she was thrust into such an awkward position.

     Mr. Asher Rutherford is truly considered one of the highest level of those in high society. He is keeping his own secret that he feels would ruin that standing if it ever got out. I think that his choice of who to have as his closest friend brought me much amusement.

     The plot of the story is delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this marvelous story. I was kept guessing about many aspects of the suspected danger Asher was in simply because of the twists the story took.

     This incredibly funny book is getting a 5 star rating from me. I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Amish Christmas Abduction (Amish Country Justice #3) by Dana R. Lynn

Title: Amish Christmas Abduction (Amish Country Justice #3)

Author: Dana R. Lynn

Pages: 224

Release Date: December 1, 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

KIDNAPPED IN AMISH COUNTRY

After catching a glimpse of something she wasn’t supposed to see days before Christmas, Irene Martello is run off the road and barely survives. More shocking is the backseat whimper of an Amish toddler stowaway and the familiar sight of their rescuer—the man who’d let her down years earlier. Police chief Paul Kennedy fears Irene stumbled onto a kidnapping ring with two dangerous agendas: retrieving the girl and silencing the witness for good. Only Paul can keep them safe for the holidays. Guarding Irene means risking his heart—and his secret—but to save the child and the woman he never stopped loving, it’s a risk he has to take.

My review:

     An amazing adrenaline rush romantic suspense novel!

     I absolutely love the main characters in this wonderful book! The baggage that both Irene and Paul are carrying is understandable and I was really hoping to see them move beyond it and admit to how they felt. Mary is a sweetheart and I wanted to just wrap her up in a big hug and protect her myself.

     The plot of the story is fantastic. We were let in on the information of who the bad guys were fairly early on. But WOW! The details about the depth of danger they were in, was built upon throughout the book! I was caught up in the story hook, line, and sinker! There was no way that I would be able to put this book aside for something else until the bad guys were caught and everyone was safe again.

     I have to give this marvelous book a rating of 5 stars! I am definitely highly recommending it!

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Dangerous Illusions (Code of Honor #1) by Irene Hannon

Title: Dangerous Illusions (Code of Honor #1)

Author: Irene Hannon 

Pages: 352

Year: 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Trish Bailey is on overload trying to deal with a demanding job, an ailing mother, and a healing heart. When a series of unsettling memory lapses leads to a tragic death—and puts Trish under police scrutiny—her world is once again thrown into turmoil.

     Detective Colin Flynn isn’t certain what to think of the facts he uncovers during his investigation. Did Trish simply make a terrible mistake or is there more to the case than meets the eye? As he searches for answers, disturbing information begins to emerge—and if the forces at work are as evil as he suspects, the situation isn’t just dangerous . . . it’s deadly.

     Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon captures readers with a mind-bending story that will have them doubling back to retrace their steps-and figure out what they missed!

My review:

     An intricately woven romantic suspense novel!

     I absolutely love both of the main characters! They are incredibly well developed. The way that their back grounds are presented over time is fantastic!

     The plot of the story had me purely guessing for most of the book. I couldn’t figure out the motive behind the things that were happening to Trish. She was so burdened down by everything that had been going on in her life that I just wanted to hug her. I was definitely rooting for Colin and the rest of the police to figure it out and catch the bad guys.

     This wonderful book is getting a 5 star rating from me. I’m highly recommending it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

21 Days of Christmas: Stories that Celebrate God's Greatest Gift - Compiled by Kathy Ide + A GIVEAWAY

About the Book

  
Name of book: 21 Days of Christmas: A Fiction Lover’s Devotional  

Author: Kathy Ide  

Genre: Christian Fiction Devotional  

Release Date: September 1, 2015

Christmas is more than just a holiday. It is a time to recapture the joy and wonder of God’s greatest gift: His Son, Jesus. 21 Days of Christmas will warm your heart with stories about giving, loving, and family. These engaging tales celebrate the hope and joy that make this blessed season unique. At the end of each story you’ll find an insightful message that will help you discover anew the true meaning of this special time of year. So grab a cup of hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick, curl up in your favorite chair beside a picture window overlooking a serene spot, and savor the true meaning of Christmas through these inspirational and encouraging stories.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Review

Filled with wonderful short Christmas stories!

This is a fantastic devotional for December. Each story is short and easy to read. Some of them are very thought provoking. Others are simply sweet and a delight to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that each story is followed by an application section. This helped me to take each one and truly think about what can be learned from it. 

They all definitely point to God and the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. The most magical Christmas present ever.

I am giving this great little book a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.

More About Kathy Ide

Kathy is the editor/compiler of the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series (www.FictionDevo.com) and author of “Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors” (http://secretsofbestsellingauthors.com). She has also written numerous articles, short stories, devotionals, play scripts, and Sunday school curriculum. She has ghostwritten ten nonfiction books and a five-book novel series. 

She is also a full-time freelance editor, working with aspiring, new, and experienced authors as well as publishers. 

Kathy speaks at writers’ conferences across the country. 

She is the founder and coordinator of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network (www.TheChristianPEN.com) and the Christian Editor Connection (www.ChristianEditor.com). 

For more about Kathy, visit www.KathyIde.com.

Guest Post from Kathy Ide

Looking for a great Christmas gift for friends and family who love fiction … or devotionals? You can give them both in one book! 

21 Days of Christmas: Stories that Celebrate God’s Greatest Gift is book two in the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series. It’s a collection of 21 fiction stories, each written by a different author—including well-known novelists such as Lena Nelson Dooley, Joanne Bischof, Jan Cline, and Lynn Kinnaman. Some stories are about the first Christmas, when Mary and Joseph brought God’s Son into the world. Others are about how we celebrate that history-changing event today. Each story is followed by a brief Life Application written by the author of that story. 

The first chapter starts out with an amusing tale of a modern-day couple in the front seat of a car, on Christmas Eve, traveling to see relatives for the holiday. They’re griping about the hassles of the season, and hollering at the the kids, who are playing with the foil on Mom’s Jell-O salad in the backseat. Then we break from that to a scene of Mary and Joseph entering Bethlehem, about to bring God’s Son into the world. It contrasts the modern-day wife, not wanting to go into a sleazy diner because it’s the only place open on Christmas Eve, with Mary hesitating to go into a smelly barnyard to give birth. When the modern-day couple decide to tell their children the Christmas story—complete with snow and a little drummer boy—the contrasts become both highly funny and very poignant. 

I wrote one of the chapters in the book. It’s about the first Christmas, from the perspective of Joseph. What he must have thought and felt when Mary was giving birth to Jesus, knowing that he had been personally given the divine responsibility to teach God’s Son about God. Based on the Old Testament teachings he’d been raised with, what did Joseph think Jesus would be like when He was born, and how did reality clash with those expectations? 

This book makes a great gift for family and friends, with its beautiful debossed hardback cover, full-color interior, and a ribbon page marker. With stories about the Nativity as well as tales of modern-day people celebrating that event, almost anyone would enjoy receiving a copy and reading it—even those who don’t believe in Christ as their Savior. It’s small enough to be a stocking stuffer (or tucked into the pocket of a Christmas-themed pot holder!) and inexpensive enough to be a practical gift for those people you’re not sure will reciprocate, or who may feel uncomfortable if they didn’t get you anything. 

This devotional would also be ideal to incorporate into an individual’s or a family’s advent celebration, reading one chapter a day during the three weeks leading up to Christmas. 

Each chapter takes only about ten minutes to read, which makes it ideal for the hectic holiday season. And since each chapter stands alone, it doesn’t matter whether you read one or two stories, half the book, or the whole thing. 

Other books in the Fiction Lover’s Devotional series are: 

21 Days of Grace: Stories that Celebrate God’s Unconditional Love 

21 Days of Love: Stories that Celebrate Treasured Relationships   

21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Motherhood

Blog Stops

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, November 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, November 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 22

Reader’s Cozy Corner, November 22

Blossoms and Blessings, November 23

Carpe Diem, November 23

Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner, November 24

Multifarious, November 25

A Reader’s Brain, November 25

A Greater Yes, November 26

Lane Hill House, November 26

Texas Book -aholic, November 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, November 27

Karen Sue Hadley, November 28

By The Book, November 29

Seasons of Opportunities, November 29

Mary Hake, November 30

Have A Wonderful Day, December 1

Remebrancy, December 2

God’s Little Bookworm, December 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away a grand prize of a set of 21 days devotional books!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c3c2

The Christmas Town (Christmas Hope #8) by Donna VanLiere

Title: The Christmas Town (Christmas Hope #8)

Author: Donna VanLiere

Pages: 228

Year: 2016

Genre: Christmas Story

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: eBook (also available in hardback)

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this novel through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.)

About the book:

     Donna VanLiere, New York Times bestselling author of the timeless The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Hope, is back with this moving and uplifting story about finding love, hope, and family in unexpected places.

     Lauren Gabriel spent many years of her childhood in foster homes, wishing her mother would come back for her and be the family she needs. Now twenty-years-old, she still longs for a place that she can truly call home. Her work as a cashier is unfulfilling, and at Christmas it’s unbearable with the songs and carols and chatter of Christmas that she hears throughout the day.

     When Lauren ends her shift one night, she finds herself driving aimlessly ignorer to avoid returning to her lonely apartment. And when she witnesses a car accident she is suddenly pulled into the small town of Grandon, first as a witness but then as a volunteer for the annual fundraiser for Glory’s Place, a center for single mothers and families who need assistance. Could this town and its people be the home she has always longed for?

My review:

     Filled with delightful characters.

     The variety of people in this Christmas story is fantastic. They range from strong outspoken ones to those with either health or emotional limitations. They worked well together and the story is sweet and very inspirational. It displays the best of people of all walks of life coming together and supporting each other.

     At times the point-of-view seemed awkward to me. This is a new author to me and it may just be that her writing style is different than what I’m used to reading.

     I am giving this charming Christmas story a rating of 4 stars. I do recommend it. I will be reading more of this author’s Christmas books.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*