A Heartbeat Away by S Dionne Moore

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Heartbeat Away
(Abingdon Press - May 1, 2013)

by
S. Dionne Moore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S. Dionne Moore started writing in 2006. Her first book, Murder on the Ol’ Bunions, was contracted for publication by Barbour Publishing in 2008. In 2009 she moved on to writing historical romances as an outlet for her passion for history. In 2010 her second cozy mystery, Polly Dent Loses Grip, was a 2010 Carol Award finalist and she was also named a Barbour Publishing 2010 Favorite New Author. In 2011 her first historical romance, Promise of Tomorrow, was nominated a 2011 Carol Award finalist.

Born and raised in Manassas, Virginia, Moore moved to Greencastle, PA, in 1993, then to Mercersburg in 2009. Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the whole town.

For more information, visit her Website at www.sdionnemoore.com.
Follow her on Twitter: @sdionnemoore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sdionnemoore
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/sdionnemoore

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.

Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test—but can betrayal be forgiven?

My thoughts:

To tell the truth, it took me a bit to get into this story. But after about halfway through, I started to feel like I was more vested in the story and understood more of what was going on, thus enjoying the story to a much greater degree.

I really liked the symbolism of the quilt and how the progression of color in the blocks revealed that hope can come, even after facing dark times in our lives.

This Quilts of Love series by Abingdon Press has offered many impressive stories and this is another one that should not be missed.

My sincerest thanks to CFBA and Abingdon Press for generously providing a copy for review.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heartbeat Away, go HERE.

Watch the video:


AHeartbeatAway - Medium from S. Dionne Moore on Vimeo.

Follow the Heart by Kaye Dacus

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Follow the Heart
(B&H Books - May 1, 2013)

by
Kaye Dacus
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time college composition instructor for Bethel University.

Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and educator who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an academic advisor and English Composition instructor for Bethel University.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Set during the Industrial Revolution and the Great Exhibition of 1851, Follow the Heart is a “sitting-room romance” with the feel of a Regency-era novel but the fashions and technological advances of the mid-Victorian age.

Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money.

At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America.

Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess.

While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?

Mandates . . . money . . . matrimony. Who will follow the heart?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Follow the Heart, go HERE.

Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Last Chance for Justice
(B&H Books - May 1, 2013)

by
Kathi Macias
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and was the 2011 Author of the Year from BooksandAuthors.net. Her novel set in China, Red Ink, was named Golden Scrolls 2011 Novel of the Year and was also a Carol Award Finalist; her October 2012 release, Unexpected Christmas Hero, was named 2012 Book of the Year by BookandAuthors.net. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband.

Kathi is passionate about The Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors. To learn more about the persecuted church, please visit VOM’s website and Open Doors Website.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Welcome to Bloomfield, where life is simple, love is real, and stories are shared.

Lynn Myers is still reeling from losing her husband of thirty-five years when word comes that her only sibling, an older brother, has also died. With no one else to settle the estate, she must return to her small hometown of Bloomfield, however briefly, to settle his affairs.

Lynn’s daughter, Rachel, has just graduated from Bible college and with no other commitments comes along to sort through her uncle’s huge old home, right next to the local cemetery.

It isn't long before Rachel has two men -- a handsome CPA and the youth pastor -- seriously vying for her attention. At the same time, Lynn's attention is drawn to a set of journals her brother has left behind detailing a long-standing Bloomfield mystery.

As they pursue solving this mystery, Rachel must make some personal decisions about her future, while Lynn is forced to face unexpected issues from her own past.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Last Chance for Justice, go HERE.

Katie's Choice by Amy Lillard

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Katie's Choice
(B&H Books - May 1, 2013)

by
Amy Lillard
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I’m a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel Princess.

I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I’ve retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I’m from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty years and have a son–a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course!

I love homemade tacos, shoes, and romance novels–not necessarily in that order. I’m a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I’m shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I believe that God is love. I guess that’s why I adore romances.

I have always been intrigued with the Amish culture, their gentle ways and slower-paced lifestyle. (And I love, love, love the fact that they stay married for their lifetime.) But until recently I never thought to blend this interest with my penchant for romance. Okay, okay, I’m a bit old-fashioned and even enjoy the gender roles that are present in this culture. I love to cook and take care of my family. Yes, that’s me June Cleaver with a laptop.

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twlight series (I’ll get to it or I won’t, either way I’m good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I’m alone on this last one, and again, I’m good with it.)

Favorite movies–(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940′s movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven’t seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn’s and Audrey’s.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Katie Rose Fisher loved Samuel Beachy with an intensity that shook their Amish district. No one doubted they would one day marry, until Samuel turned his back on the church and joined the world of the English.

Alone now in Clover Ridge, Katie Rose dedicates her life to God and the school children she teaches each day. Although she secretly longs for more, Katie knows God’s hand is at work, and she is happy.

News correspondent Zane Carson never even knew Oklahoma had an Amish community until he got the chance to live among them and learn about their day-to-day activities. Their simple way of life is intriguing, but not half as much as the young teacher.

Katie Rose is flattered over the attention she receives from Zane, but she has resolved to never marry. Even if she were to entertain the idea, it surely couldn’t be with an outsider like Zane.

Never one prone to the restraints of organized religion, Zane finds a comfort in the rituals and blessings in the day to day righteous living of this small Amish community. He finds himself, God, and love with Katie Rose.

But as Zane draws closer to Katie Rose, Samuel comes back to repent his ways and return to his place at her side. Can Zane convince Katie Rose that he is committed to adapting to her way of life, or will Samuel win her affections back for himself once again?

My thoughts:

I haven't quite finished this one (tending a sick little one has been keeping me otherwise occupied the last few days), but I'm really liking it. Love the chemistry between Katie Rose and Zane...and can't wait to see how this turns out. This is my first book by Amy Lillard. I've really enjoyed getting to know the characters in Clover Ridge thus far, and I've picked up a copy of Saving Gideon so I can see how Annie and Gideon's story leads into this book.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Katie's Choice, go HERE.

When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
When The Morning Glory Blooms
(Abingdon Press - April 1, 2013)
by
Cynthia Ruchti
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cynthia writes stories of hope that glows in the dark, merging her love for storytelling with inextinguishable hope for inexpressible hurts.

Cynthia spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder and celebrating 40 years of marriage, three grown children, and five outrageously adorable grandchildren. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. To that end, she served as the assistant director and a faculty member of the Quad Cities Christian Writers Conference, has served as worship and devotions staff for the Write-to-Publish conference, and teaches at other conferences as opportunities arise. She speaks to women’s groups, at mother-daughter banquets, and for women’s refresher days and retreats. It is her delight to serve on her church’s worship team. Rather than “busy,” she likes the term “active.”

For 33 years, Cynthia wrote and produced the radio broadcast The Heartbeat of the Home. The scripted radio drama/devotional broadcast aired on as many as 50 radio stations and two cable/digital television stations over the years. Cynthia was the editor of the ministry’s Backyard Friends magazine, a twenty-page, twice annual publication that reached 5,000 homes, churches, and parachurch outreaches.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Becky rocks a baby that rocked her world.

Sixty years earlier, with her fiancé Drew in the middle of the Korean Conflict, Ivy throws herself into her work at a nursing home to keep her sanity and provide for the child Drew doesn't know is coming. Ivy cares for Anna, an elderly patient who taxes Ivy's listening ear until the day she suspects Anna's tall tales are not the ramblings of dementia. They're fragments of Anna's disjointed memories of a remarkable life. Finding a faint thread of hope she can't resist tugging, Ivy records Anna's memoir, scribbling furiously after hours to keep up with the woman's emotion-packed, grace-hemmed stories. Is Ivy's answer buried in Anna's past?

Becky, Ivy, Anna--three women fight a tangled vine of deception in search of the blossoming simplicity of truth.

If you would like to read the first chapter of When The Morning Glory Blooms, go HERE.

A Healing Heart by Angela Breidenbach

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Healing Heart
(Abingdon Press - April 1, 2013)
by
Angela Breidenbach
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Angela Breidenbach is a speaker/coach in mental and physical health, author of A Healing Heart April 2013 from Abingdon Press in the Quilts of Love series, Gems of Wisdom: For a Treasure-filled Life, Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance, and Creative Cooking for Colitis. Other works by Angela include compilation books and devotionals from Guideposts, Group, and articles in magazines, ezines, and newspapers. She is certified in mentor/peer counseling as a CTA life coach, as a Stephen Minister, and a weight loss/nutrition coach. Angela serves as an assisting minister (worship/prayer leader) for her congregation in Missoula, MT. Not only did she walk the hard line of deciding to donate her mom’s brain for the study of schizophrenia, but she’s also on the brain donation list at the Brain Bank-Harvard McLean Hospital.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Mara Keegan is an uber-successful mother and a widow of three years. She's been chasing success and all the "good things in life" for her family to make up for the cruel whim God played on them by taking her husband. In an effort to be the perfect mom, she decides to make a photo memory quilt, a graduation present for her daughter, Cadence.

She’s not yet finished when she experiences a heart attack. While Mara recuperates, she revisits the choices she's made that led to this physically and spiritually broken heart. The memory quilt must be finished in time for Cadence's big day, but Mara struggles with her burgeoning feelings for the man who must keep Mara's business going during her recovery, Joel Ryan. Can Joel find his way into Mara's heart and onto Cadence's quilt?

My thoughts:

Superman to the rescue! Who doesn't love a book with a larger than life hero? Joel Ryan is a seemingly flawless character who shows up just in time to save the day for the Keegan family...but unfortunately he has a history with mom and business CEO Mara. Can she trust him as he commits to helping her business survive while she faces unexpected health issues?

I really enjoyed this story. Well-written characters fill the book - Maya, full of angst with Joel, overwhelmed by the promises made to her late husband to make their business a success; her three kids (Marisa, Toby, and Cadence) searching to find normalcy after their father's death; neighbor Mrs. Calder, whose motherly (and grandmotherly) guidance keeps the household going during Mara's recovery; Joel, whose superpowers seem to work wonders on everyone...except Mara; and even lovable Louie, the talented and charming family pooch.

Mix these great characters with a heartwarming story...with both drama and levity...and this book is a winner. This has been one of my favorite Quilts of Love stories so far (and they've all been good) and is definitely a book not to pass up.

My sincere thanks to CFBA and Abingdon Press for generously providing a copy for review.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Healing Heart, go HERE.

Christy Award Nominees 2013

Congratulations to all the Christy Award nominees for 2013.

The 14th Annual Christy Awards for Excellence in Christian Fiction will be presented at a dinner to be held Monday, June 24, 2013, at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Mo.

Contemporary Standalone



The Air We Breathe - Christa Parrish (Bethany House)
Borders of the Heart - Chris Fabry (Tyndale House)
Not in the Heart - Chris Fabry (Tyndale House)

Find out more on the web:
Christa Parrish
Chris Fabry

Contemporary Romance



The Breath of Dawn - Kristen Heitzmann (Bethany House)
Lethal Legacy - Irene Hannon (Revell)
Wildflowers from Winter - Katie Ganshert (WaterBrook Multnomah)

Kristen Heitzmann
Irene Hannon
Katie Ganshert

Contemporary Series/Sequel/Novella



Two Destinies - Elizabeth Musser (David C Cook)
You Don't Know Me - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House)
Waiting for Sunrise - Eva Marie Everson (Revell)

Elizabeth Musser
Susan May Warren
Eva Marie Everson

First Novel




Into the Free - Julie Cantrell (David C Cook)
Tangled Ashes - Michele Phoenix (Tyndale House)
Wedded to War - Jocelyn Green (River North)

Julie Cantrell
Michele Phoenix
Jocelyn Green

Historical



Flame of Resistance - Tracy Groot (Tyndale House)
Wedded to War - Jocelyn Green (River North)
A Wreath of Snow - Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Multnomah)

Tracy Groot
Jocelyn Green
Liz Curtis Higgs

Historical Romance



Against the Tide - Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House)
Be Still My Soul - Joanne Bischof (Waterbrook/Multnomah)
Love's Reckoning - Laura Frantz (Revell)

Elizabeth Camden
Joanne Bischof
Laura Frantz

Suspense



Downfall - Terri Blackstock (Zondervan)
The Last Plea Bargain - Randy Singer (Tyndale House)
Rare Earth - Davis Bunn (Bethany House)
Submerged - Dani Pettrey (Bethany House)

Terri Blackstock
Randy Singer
Davis Bunn
Dani Pettrey

Visionary


Daughter of Light - Morgan L. Busse (Marcher Lord Press)
Soul's Gate - James Rubart (Thomas Nelson)
Starflower - Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House)

Morgan L. Busse
James Rubart
Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Young Adult



Child of the Mountains - Marilyn Sue Shank (Delacorte)
Failstate - John W. Otte (Marcher Lord Press)
Interrupted: A Life Beyond Words - Rachel Coker (Zondervan)

Marilyn Sue Shank
John W. Otte
Rachel Coker

Find out more on the web:
Christy Awards
Bethany House - A Division of Baker Publishing Group
David C Cook Publishing
Delacorte Press - A Division of Random House
Marcher Lord Press
Revell Books - A Division of Baker Publishing Group
River North Publishing - An imprint of Moody Publishers
Thomas Nelson
Tyndale House Publishers
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Zondervan Publishing - A Division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Josiah's Treasure
(April 16, 2013)

by
Nancy Herriman
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Herriman abandoned a career in Engineering to chase around two small children and take up the pen. She has been writing for longer than she would like to admit. Her work has been a finalist in several Romance Writers of America contests and she won the 2006 RWA Daphne du Maurier award for Best Unpublished Mystery/Romantic Suspense. In 2009, she was an ACFW Genesis finalist. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.

When she is not writing, or gabbing over lattes about writing, she is either watching history shows on cable TV or singing. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and sons, and wishes there were more hours in the day.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1882, Sarah Whittier dreams of opening an art studio run by immigrant women. She plans to use the house left to her by family friend Josiah Cady as collateral for her studio. But will all be lost when the inheritance is challenged by an angry man claiming to be Josiah's son and legal heir? Rumor of gold nuggets hidden in the house, place Sarah's life in danger. Her future uncertain and her safety threatened, Sarah has nowhere to turn. That is, unless she can soften a vengeful man's heart-and they both learn that love is finer than any gold.

My thoughts:

Both Sarah and Daniel have their sights on Josiah Cady's estate, and both have noble goals guiding their pursuits, but what lengths will each of them go to claim it as their own. As they move toward a suitable solution for all involved, we find that it's not what you have but what you give that makes a fulfilling life.

I've not read any of Nancy's books before but found this to be an engaging story with lots of great characters, a bit of suspense, and even a few chuckles. If you are a fan of historical fiction be sure to get yourself a copy of this book.

My sincerest thanks to CFBA and Worthy Publishing for generously providing a copy for review.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Josiah's Treasure, go HERE.