Review: Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs by Lisa Tawn Bergren, illustrated by Aleksander Zolotic

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

From the creator of the best-selling God Gave Us You comes a warm exploration of the ways parents show affection--and how it mirrors God's affection for his followers.

Parents are always looking out for the perfect bedtime book to create a sense of well-being before a night of rest. Mama Kisses, Papa Hugs explores a child's curiosity about how love is shown between parent and child, with the reassurance that Mama and Papa will always love their little one. And like Lisa Tawn Bergren's young protagonist asks his mother, this question is pressing on the minds of many children:

"Mama, how does God kiss us?"

Mama smiled. "He kisses us a hundred times a day; although if you don't pay attention, you might miss it."

"At night he kisses us with a shooting star. In the morning, he kisses us with sunlight, crawling across the fields and into our windows. On a hot summer afternoon, he kisses us with a gentle breeze. But most of all, he kisses us through our family. That's how God made us. That's why I give you Mama kisses."

My Review

I love the important message of how the affection in our families demonstrates our love for each other, and also reflects God's love for each of us. The high quality illustrations of various animal families are adorable, and children learn that we can see God's love for us in so many ways. This is a book that is fun to read again and again, and would make a wonderful gift!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Review: Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

For Cora Kensington, the Grand Tour was to be the trip of a lifetime. She discovered the family she never knew she had and may have even found the love she longs for in Will. Yet her life has just become infinitely more challenging ...

Hounded by the stubborn pursuit of Pierre de Richelieu and journalists chasing the beguiling story of the newest American heiress, Cora fights to remain true to her past, reconcile her present, and still embrace her future. But as Will struggles with her newfound wealth, Cora begins to wonder if their love is strong enough to withstand all that threatens to pull them apart.

As she glimpses the end of the tour, Cora knows it's time to decide who and what defines her ... and who and what does not.

My Review

Since the books in this series pick up where the previous one left off, I read them all in order one right after the other. And I felt like it was the journey that would never end! The first book is my favorite where we get to know the characters, the intriguing premise of the plot, and begin the travels of the Kensingtons and Morgans. I enjoyed the romance between Will and Cora in the second book, when she decides between Will and Pierre. The internal angst over her identity and relationship with her new family becomes a bit trying, but I appreciated the element of faith that was woven in. This third book left me feeling disconnected from Cora and Will, tired of the little dramas, and began skimming until the plot picked up with some danger and intrigue. The details of the countries and specific locations they visited were interesting at first but I eventually became weary of the descriptions. Overall I enjoyed the story but felt that it would have been more appealing as one or two books. 

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

 

Check out the first two books in the Grand Tour series . . .