Review: Out of the Ruins by Karen Barnett

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis 

While her sister lies on her deathbed, Abby Fischer prays for a miracle. What Abby doesn’t expect, however, is for God’s answer to come in the form of the handsome Dr. Robert King, whose experimental treatment is risky at best.

As they work together toward a cure, Abby’s feelings for Robert become hopelessly entangled. Separated by the tragedy of the mighty San Francisco earthquake, their relationship suddenly takes a back seat to survival. With fires raging throughout the city, Abby fears for her life as she flees alone through burning streets. Where is God now? Will Robert find Abby, even as the world burns around them? Or has their love fallen with the ruins of the city?

My Review

What an intense book! It started out somewhat slow for me as it focused on Abby's anger at God and desperate deal-making with Him to cure her beloved sister from leukemia. It's an emotional time for her, and she refuses to give up or accept that nothing can be done, even when her faith-filled sister was at peace with passing on. I admired her tenacity and it brought back similar emotions I felt when my own father was close to death- hoping and praying with everything in me that God's will was to give us a miracle. The difference between us however is that Abby is willing to cut ties with God if she doesn't get her way... and thus begins her spiritual journey that we witness throughout the book. As Robert and Abby develop a friendship during the treatment of her sister, I kept feeling anticipation and anxiety about the earthquake- knowing it was going to happen, but not knowing when! It was sort of surreal and anticlimactic when it did occur, (which is pretty realistic from my own experience with smaller earthquakes) but the descriptions of the effects on the structures were fascinating. The real intensity begins with the aftermath. How much we take for granted our ability to communicate! I can't even imagine being separated from my family with no idea where they are. The adversities Abby overcomes during the search for her family humble her to listen to the influence of her sister's memory and turn to God for comfort and recognizes His hand in many great and small miracles that day.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

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Don't miss the debut book, Out of the Ruins, in Karen Barnett's new series, The Golden Gate Chronicles. Set against the backdrop of early 20th century San Francisco, Out of the Ruins will remind readers that no matter who we are or what we’ve done, God is still as close to us as our next breath.

Karen is celebrating with a fun giveaway and Facebook author chat party!

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• Out of the Ruins by Karen Barnett

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 19th. Winner will be announced at the Out of the Ruins Facebook author chat party on June 19th. Connect with Karen for an evening of fun book chat, games, and prizes. Karen will also be answering audience questions and giving an exclusive look at the next book in The Golden Gate Chronicles series!

So grab your copy of Out of the Ruins and join Karen on the evening of June 19th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19th!

E-book sale TODAY ONLY: $1.99 for An Amish Garden novella collection

I adore reading these Amish novella collections! Each of the authors are excellent and it is a perfect way to relax at the end of a long day, without committing to a whole novel. Download An Amish Garden for $1.99 today only!

Synopsis

“Where Healing Blooms” Vannetta Chapman – Emma discovers a run-away teen in her barn, and the bishop asks her to provide a haven for a woman and her two children. Then her mother-in-law reveals a secret about her garden. Will Emma choose loneliness or learn to accept God’s gifts?

“Flowers for Rachael” Kathleen Fuller – Rachael’s garden is beautiful, but she is lonely. Gideon is in love with Rachael, but when Rachael finds her garden in shambles after a crisis, she rejects his help. Will she realize she doesn’t have to do everything on her own?

“Seeds of Love” Tricia Goyer – When a corporation shows interest in buying Sadie’s heirloom seeds, she panics. They are all she has left of her Dat and Mem. Eli believes he can help Sadie, but a misunderstanding leaves her heartbroken. Will she trust him again, and will the seeds of a new relationship take root?

“Rooted in Love” Beth Wiseman – Rosemary is doing her best to run her family’s household. She excels at all her tasks except one: gardening. Saul has been interested in her for years, but Rosemary has turned him down repeatedly. Saul begins helping with her family’s garden, but someone is sabotaging his efforts—and keeping a secret that could change their lives.

Kindle Giveaway from Beth Shriver to celebrate RUMSPRINGA’S HOPE

Don't miss the first book, Rumspringa's Hope, in Beth Shriver's new Spirit of the Amish series. Beth is celebrating the series launch with a Kindle Fire Giveaway!
One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Rumspringa's Hope by Beth Shriver

Enter today, but hurry! The giveaway ends on June 22nd. Winner will be announced June 23rd on Beth's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Beth's blog on June 23rd to see if you won.

Free e-book! Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato

Download Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato for free on e-book!

(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis 

Massachusetts, 1815.
Will His Love Endure Once He Learns Her Secret?

Three years ago, Captain Brogan Talvis's late wife abandoned their son, leaving no clue as to the boy's whereabouts. After searching relentlessly, Brogan discovers his son was adopted by a New England shipbuilder. And the man's daughter, Lorena Huntley, acts as loving guardian to the child.

Lorena, who hides a dark truth, finds herself falling for the handsome captain and ex-privateer who's come to secure ownership of one of her father's ships. She's unaware of Brogan's own secret when another's deceit has her sailing toward Europe against her will.

Haunted by thoughts of Lorena in peril, Brogan is compelled to choose between the boy he longs for and the woman who has captured his heart.

Free e-book! Bellflower by Amber Stokes

Download Bellflower by Amber Stokes for free! It includes two short stories from her series The Heart's Spring.  

(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis

BELLFLOWER: Short Story Prequel to Forget Me Not

Spring 1880
Annabelle knows only one way of life. Jacob knows only one way to feel secure. When their paths cross in a Western mining town, can they find a way for love to bloom? Discover the story behind two hurting hearts in this short but sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

FAIRY SLIPPERS: Bonus Short Story Companion to Bleeding Heart

Spring 1888
Margaret is fragile. Zachary is tough. Both are lonely. Will a dance in a redwood lumber town bring them together - or drive them apart forever? Discover the continuing story of the cook from Bleeding Heart in this short but sweet retelling of Cinderella.

Two e-books on sale for $1.99 each from Jody Hedlund's Michigan Brides series

Download Unending Devotion and A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund for only $1.99 each!
(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis

Michigan, 1883
In Her Darkest Hours, Is He the Man She Needs?

Lily Young longs to find her lost sister or will die trying. Heedless of any danger, she searches logging camps and towns, posing as a photographer's assistant. And then she arrives in Harrison, Michigan--and the sights of Connell McCormick.

Connell is determined to increase the fortune of his lumber-baron father and figures as long as he's living an upright life, that's what matters. But when Lily arrives in town she upends his world, forcing him to confront the truth that dangerous men have gained too much power while good men turn a blind eye.

Vexing but persuasive, Lily soon secures Connell's help, drawing them ever closer to each other. Will standing for what's right cost them both everything?

Synopsis

Recently widowed Annalisa Werner has the feeling her husband was murdered but can't prove it. Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

For nobleman Carl von Reichert, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He's been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn't commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he'll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa's farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.

Annalisa senses that Karl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He's gentle, kind, and romantic--unlike any of the men she's ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love--but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.

E-book sale TODAY ONLY: Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig

Today only, download Tide and Tempest by Elizabeth Ludwig for only $1.99! (Even though it is book three in a series, it can be read as a stand alone).

(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis

Two years ago, her fiance perished
during their voyage to America.

Now she discovers it may have been murder...

Dreaming of a better life, Tillie McGrath leaves Ireland behind and, with her beloved fiance by her side, sets sail for America. But when illness robs her of the man she holds dear, she's left alone with only a handful of tattered memories. While forging on proves difficult, Tillie soon finds some new friends at her New York boardinghouse, and begins pursuing a new dream--to open a home for orphaned children.

Despite two years passing, Captain Keondric Morgan has never forgotten the lass who left his ship so heartbroken. When a crewman's deathbed confession reveals her fiance's demise was the result of murder, the captain knows he must try to contact her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well--dangerous men who believe Tillie has in her possession something that could expose their crimes. And to their way of thinking, the best way to prevent such an outcome is to seize the evidence and then hand Tillie the same fate as her naïve fiance.

Review: Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

When Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston from an eastern finishing school, she's stunned to find her father in ill health. Though she loves him, he's only ever focused on what she's "not." Not male. Not married. Not able to run their family business, Renard Shipping.

Vowing to secure a suitable marriage partner, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure: a dagger personally gifted to Nicole's father by the pirate Jean Lafitte. Many believe the legend that the dagger is the source of all Renard Shipping's good fortune, though Nicole is sure her father's work ethic and honorable business practices are the keys to their success. Before she can board the steamer to New Orleans, Nicole finds her father's rivals—the Jenkins brothers—on either side of the gangplank, ready to grab her and steal the dagger. Quickly, she decides to instead travel north, to Liberty, Texas, where she can decide what to do next.

Darius Thornton needs a secretary—someone to help him get his notes in order. Ever since the boiler explosion aboard the "Louisiana," Darius has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. The pretty young socialite who applies for the job baffles him with her knowledge of mathematics and steamships. He decides to take a risk and hire her, but he's determined her attractive face and fancy clothes won't distract him from his important research.

The job offer comes at exactly the right time for Nicole. With what Darius is paying her, she'll be able to afford passage to New Orleans in mere weeks. But Mr. Thornton is so reclusive, so distant, so unusual. He can create complex scientific equations but can't remember to comb his hair. And his experiments are growing more and more dangerous. Still, there are undeniable sparks of attraction between them. But Nicole is leaving soon, and if she marries, it must be to a man who can manage a shipping empire. Darius certainly doesn't fit that description. And the Jenkins brothers have not given up on kidnapping Nicole and seizing the Lafitte dagger for themselves.

My Review

Karen Witemeyer never fails to fully engage me in her stories! The setting for Full Steam Ahead has a different vibe than her previous westerns, since much of the storyline involves steamboats and the shipping industry. The pirate connection made it feel slightly more exotic, especially as we see the influence on Nicole as some special... talents are revealed. From reading the book description I was worried that I wouldn't care for the "socialite" since I prefer down-to-earth characters, and I was pleasantly surprised! She is definitely not your average spoiled daughter. From her aptitude with math to her tenacity, grit, and compassion, she is a wonderful heroine. Even her flaws are endearing as her overconfidence and self-sacrifice land her in some sticky situations.

Darius Thornton is a complex character, and because of his name and obsessive work habit I came to visualize him as Richard Armitage from BBC's North and South (even though their hair color doesn't match). It's fascinating to me that characters I read about can have such vivid personalities, but their appearance is more ambiguous and vague. So it was a bit of a change for me to have such a specific image of Darius in my mind! The story is just as much Darius' as it is Nicole's, and begins with the tragic accident that spurs his all-consuming work with the dangerous steam engine experiments. That element of risk and passion is very compelling, and the chemistry between Darius and Nicole is explosive (check out my puns!)

Both Darius and Nicole help each other on a spiritual journey to learn that we can't redeem ourselves from our failures, but by surrendering to God and relying on His guidance, He will direct our paths for good.

(A copy of the book was provided by the author for unbiased review)

Free e-book! Safe by the Marshal's Side by Shirlee McCoy

I have to admit that I enjoy reading the Love Inspired books! They are sweet, quick reads that provide a nice escape for a few hours. The Love Inspired Suspense line provides more excitement and drama, and I've read several that I rated 4 stars. Download Safe by the Marshal's Side by Shirlee McCoy for FREE!

(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis

HER LIFE IS ON THE LINE
For a year, U.S. Marshal Hunter Davis has protected witness Annie Delacorte and her toddler daughter. But now, someone is determined to stop Annie from testifying against the men who killed her husband. To guard Annie, by-the-book Hunter will have to break a promise to himself: to not get emotionally involved. After all, he already cares more deeply than he ever imagined for the sweet family of two- a family he'll do anything to keep safe and sound by his side.

E-book sale! $1.99 for Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Download Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson for only $1.99! I enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars!

(E-book deal is for a limited time, so check the price before ordering)

Synopsis

Sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledging community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival!

Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.