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Wednesday, May 29, 2019


Book Review: Now and Then and Always by Melissa Tagg


Now and Then and Always by Melissa Tagg is a beautifully woven story of pain and loss.  I think woven perfectly describes how this author has put together such a lovely tale of grief and hope with such real, relatable characters.  It all comes together gradually and the pieces gently but surely come together.  The mystery that carries throughout the book adds so much to the story as well.  The characters grapple with their difficulties in real ways that never felt too easy or unrealistic.  Maple Valley is a place I want to return to soon!  I can't wait for the next book in this series.  I received a digital copy of this book from the author with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Book Review: Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner 


Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner is a tour de force! In some ways, it’s not what I expected after reading her first novel and in other ways it is everything I expected and more. Cadie and Will are a couple where things have gone awry. Now, Will is determined to win Cadie back with every romantic gesture he can come up with. This book has everything- mistakes and shame, love and pain, success and failure, hope and perseverance. At times it’s funny and at other times it will make you cry. Read this book! It’s entertaining and still full of substance. I just loved this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Book Review: Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes


Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes is a rare gem, a novel that will stay with you long after you read it.  This is a novel about war and grief, complicated family relationships, love and hope.  All of these themes are weaved together so beautifully and with such beautiful writing.  The descriptions in this novel really bring Maine to life while not seeming too lengthy or getting in the way of the story.  Instead, the story just absorbs you instantly and you won't be able to stop reading. I highly recommend this novel.  I received a digital copy of this novel from the publisher with no obligations.  These opinions are entirely my own.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019



Book Review: Moments We Forget by Beth Vogt

About the Book


Book: Moments We Forget

Author: Beth Vogt 

Genre: Contemporary fiction, woman’s fiction

Release Date: May 7, 2019

Jillian Thatcher has spent most of her life playing the family peacemaker, caught in the middle between her driven, talented older sister and her younger, spotlight-stealing twin sisters. Then on the night of her engagement party, a cancer diagnosis threatens to once again steal her chance to shine. Now, Jillian’s on the road to recovery after finally finishing chemo and radiation, but residual effects of the treatment keep her from reclaiming her life as she’d hoped. And just when her dreams might be falling into place, a life-altering revelation from her husband sends her reeling again. Will Jillian ever achieve her own dreams, or will she always be “just Jillian,” the less-than Thatcher sister? Can she count on her sisters as she tries to step into a stronger place, or are they stuck in their childhood roles forever?



Click here to purchase your copy.



My Review

Moments We Forget by Beth K. Vogt is book 2 in the Thatcher Sisters series.  Ms. Vogt writes compelling, emotional novels and this one is no exception. The first novel in this series, Things I Never Told You, made me cry with its emotional depth and complex emotions.  This book picks up the story and continues to explore the complex relationships of the three sisters and their individual lives. Jillian is the focus on this story as she copes with her cancer treatments, her new marriage, and a kitchen remodel. I absolutely love how Ms. Vogt brought these elements to life. When you read this novel, you feel entirely engrossed in their world.  Pick up this book.  You'll experience a whirlwind of emotions and find such great depth.  It is well worth the read! 

What truly sets apart Beth Vogt as an author is the remarkably well rounded characters in her novel.  They are so well-developed and flawed yet still likable-- they feel so very real.  The Thatcher sisters have so many hurts, past and present, to conquer and I love how the novels explore their interactions throughout the years.  I look forward to the next novel in this series.  I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations.  These opinions are entirely my own.


About the Author

Beth K. Vogt is a nonfiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. Now Beth believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A women’s fiction novelist, Beth’s first novel for Tyndale House Publishers, Things I Never Told You, released May 2018.



Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a 2016 ACFW Carol Award winner, and a 2015 RITA® finalist. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. A November Bride was part of the Year of Wedding series by Zondervan. Having authored nine contemporary romance novels or novellas, Beth believes there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us.
An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Novel Rocket and also enjoys speaking to writers’ groups and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband, Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people, and their youngest daughter, Christa, who loves to play volleyball and enjoys writing her own stories. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.


More from Beth

“A sister is like yourself in a different movie, a movie that stars you in a different life.”
Deborah Tannen (1945-), sociologist
I’m launching Moments We Forget, book two in the Thatcher Sisters series, and I’ve just turned in the final book in the series. I’d love to share book three’s title with you, but I don’t know what it is. (Of course, book three might have a final title by the time you read this—that’s part of the fun of prerelease deadlines.)
One thing I do know: the theme of “Little Women gone wrong” is woven through all of the books . . . thanks to the Thatcher sisters: Payton, Pepper, Jillian, and Johanna.
Sisters, be they real or imaginary, can be complicated.
Of course, there are sisters who have close relationships. They “get” each other and love doing life together.
But then there are the sister relationships that are like mismatched socks. Or those expensive jeans you loved in the store, but when you bring them home, they never quite live up to those moments in the dressing room.
Such are the Thatcher sisters. Johanna, Jillian, Payton, and Pepper grew up in the same family. They’re all tall. They love Broncos football and board games. But in so many ways their lives are like different movies because they each made different choices. Choices that changed and separated them. Moments We Forget continues to explore whether the Thatcher sisters can find a way to understand each other enough to bridge the distance between them.


Blog Stops


Livin’ Lit, May 7
Carpe Diem, May 8
Simple Harvest Reads, May 10 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Remembrancy, May 10
Genesis 5020, May 13
By The Book, May 13
Bigreadersite, May 14
Moments, May 15
Hallie Reads, May 19

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Beth is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card plus a softcover copy of Moments We Forget!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/e26d/moments-we-forget-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, May 6, 2019


Book Review: Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn

2013
It was a delight to meet author Robin Jones Gunn in person this past February at the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.  I first met her at a conference six years ago.  We compared the photos and agreed that we had aged just a tad since then. :)    All that to say-- it is a true privilege to review and endorse a book by an author I have personally met and can tell you is just as sincere and wonderful as her books are.  If you ever get the chance to hear her speak, take the opportunity!  Her words are life-changing and life-giving.






2019
Robin Jones Gunn's latest novel continues her main character Christy's story as she navigates being a young mother and her friendships with other mothers.  It is book 1 in the Haven Makers series. Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn is an absolute delight to read.  For long time readers of this author's books, picking up a new book is like coming home. The familiar characters (and some new) and familiar places all bring together a distinct setting unlike any other. I particularly loved the themes in this book-- women's friendships, motherhood, and infertility. I love how Robin conveys that we are all works in progress. Robin Jones Gunn never fails to speak to my heart. Reading a book of hers makes me grow closer to God every time. 



Becoming Us releases on May 7th.  Pick it up right away.  It is the perfect gift for young mothers.  I am sincerely glad for the ministry of Robin Jones Gunn in my own life and I think this book will resonate with many readers.  I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

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