False Pretenses by Kathy Herman

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
False Pretenses
(David C. Cook - March 1, 2011)
by
Kathy Herman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.

She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.

Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she's added sixteen more titles to her credit, including four bestsellers: All Things Hidden, The Real Enemy, The Last Word, and The Right Call.

Kathy's husband Paul is her manager and most ardent supporter, and the former manager of the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five almost-perfect grandchildren, a cat named Samantha. They enjoy cruising, deep sea fishing, and birdwatching—sometimes incorporating these hobbies into one big adventure.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Zoe Broussard loves the life she and her husband Pierce have built in her beloved Louisiana hometown. She owns a thriving Cajun eatery in South Louisiana and is married to the love of her life.

But it’s about to become hell. One day, out of the blue, she receives a series of anonymous notes that sends her life into a tail spin. Five simple words, “I know what you did.” Zoe has a secret so terrible it could leave the business in shambles and tear her marriage apart. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Zoe’s husband, Pierce, she has a past—a past she had covered so well she never thought she would have to confront. How could anyone know what she did? Can she find the courage to face her past?

If you would like to read the first chapter of False Pretenses, go HERE.

Spring Reading Thing 2011

I have definitely needed something to kick-start my reading this year and am so glad it's time for SRT 2011! Our host is Katrina at Callapidder Days, and everything you need to know to join in can be found here. The challenge runs from March 20 to June 20, 2011.

I've broken down my list into parts similar to the way I did in the Fall into Reading 2010 Challenge, so here we go:

Review Books:

1. False Pretenses by Kathy Herman
2. Faithful by Kim Cash Tate
3. Deadly Ties by Vicki Hinze
4. Voyage with the Vikings by Paul McCusker & Marianne Hering
5. Attack at the Arena by Paul McCusker & Marianne Hering
6. Abigail's New Hope by Mary Ellis
7. He Said, She Said by Cindy Sproles & Eddie Jones
8. The Fine Art of Insincerity by Angela Hunt

Too Good to Pass Up (Recent releases by some of my favorite authors):

1. Lie Down in Green Pastures by Debbie Viguie
2. Unexpected Love by Andrea Boeshaar
3. The Judgment by Beverly Lewis
4. Glamour by Melody Carlson
5. The Journey by Wanda Brunstetter
6. Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

Finally off the Shelf (Books that I clean off my shelf during the challenge):

1.
2.
3.

Non-fiction (I have numerous NF books on my shelf as well, so I'll try to get a few of those finished):

1.
2.

I'm trying to give myself a bit of leeway since my reading habits haven't been the greatest of late...so check back to see if I fill up some of those empty spaces. Blessings y'all ... and happy reading!

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Caregiver
(Avon Inspire; Original edition - March 8, 2011)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland

Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?

MY THOUGHTS:

I really enjoyed this book, and especially liked how the "caregiver" theme runs throughout the story. Seeing the circumstances that both Lucy and Calvin have gone through, it's easy to see how the caregiver title can apply to both of them. I became quite attached to many of the characters in the story and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Caregiver, go HERE.