One Drop of Me

One Drop of Me
Harry Kraus
(Harry Kraus, Publisher)
ASIN: B012PZCD9S
July 2015/4019 KB/310 pages/$3.99
The accidental drowning of her young son shattered Lisa Griffin’s perfect life. She finds her own breath again as she writes the gripping narrative of slave Sally Hemings’ relationship with her white master and eventual president, Thomas Jefferson. As she gives Sally the voice she never had, Lisa finds her own way to freedom from an oppressive marriage to an older African American surgeon.

A contemporary rich, white doctor’s wife.
A black colonial slave.
Separated by time, race, and money.
United by betrayal. Bonded by tragedy. One in their search for freedom.

This controversial novel dares to look realistically at Jefferson's complicated relationship (Master-slave, lover) with Sally Hemings. Granted, he was "progressive" for his time and advocated abolition of slavery, but he never granted his long-time lover, Sally Hemings, her freedom and the children he bore with her, although 7/8th caucasian, were nevertheless, his property. "One Drop of Me" refers to the fact that it only took one drop of black blood to make a person a slave.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a board-certified surgeon, Harry Kraus has divided his professional life between Virginia and East Africa. His novel Could I Have This Dance?" was the number one CBA bestseller in the contemporary category. His novels are laced with his signature of medical realism. He has been both an ACFW Book of the Year and Christy Award for Inspirational Fiction finalist.

Harry loves miniature Schnauzers and motorcycles and is passionate about spreading the good news of GRACE. In addition to his love of writing fiction, he has written three non-fiction books: Breathing Grace, The Cure, and Domesticated Jesus.

Visit his blog: www.3menwalkintoablog.com


MY THOUGHTS

Any book by Harry Kraus is a must-read for me, for I know that it will be a captivating story, stirring my heart and causing me to ponder its message long after the last sentence is read. I immediately downloaded One Drop of Me as soon as it was available and read it virtually non-stop. An author who isn't shy about making the reader a little uncomfortable to make his point, Kraus risks alienating some of his more conservative fans with this self-published work that takes a hard and candid look at relationships, oppression, lust, and power. He expertly weaves a contemporary tale with that of the fictionalized (though grounded in research as well as supposition) story of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, the slave who bore six of his children. Some moments made me smile (Kraus knows more about lipstick than I ever will!), but this is not a particularly easy read, although I couldn't put it down. While not graphic, this book does involve individuals having sex outside of marriage. However, anyone who starts this book and then tosses it aside without finishing it will miss the benefit of the powerful message of what unconditional love, forgiveness, and freedom truly mean. Kudos to Kraus for tackling such a difficult subject and doing it so well. Add this compelling novel to your library today. Highly recommended.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Crazy Little Thing Called Love
A Destination Wedding Novel
Beth K Vogt
(Howard Books)
ISBN: 978-1476789781
June 2015/368 pages/$14.99
Wedding bells and storm clouds collide in the first engaging novel in a brand-new series about destination weddings, the power of love, and the possible mishaps and missteps that happen on a couple’s journey down the aisle to “I do.”

Paramedic Vanessa Hollister has put her adolescence behind her, including the unwanted label of being the new kid in town over and over again, thanks to her father’s military career. She’s overcome what her mother called “the biggest mistake of her life” and is planning an elegant destination wedding in Destin, Florida with her new fiancé. But will the reappearance of her first husband from her what-were-you-thinking teenage elopement disrupt her dream of an idyllic beach wedding?

As a professional storm chaser, Logan Hollister is used to taking risks. However, a reckless decision during the last tornado season has him questioning the future of his team, the Stormmeisters. Coming face to face with his ex-wife eight years after their divorce compels him to confront his greatest regret: losing Vanessa. Does their past give him the right to interfere with her future?

A fast-moving, powerful hurricane throws Vanessa and Logan together as they evacuate to a storm shelter along with other residents of the Florida Gulf Coast. Forced to spend time together, the pair battles unexpected renewed feelings for each other.

Vanessa and Logan are faced with a choice: Should they accept, once and for all, their teenage marital mistake? Or is God offering them a second chance at happily ever after?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A 2015 RITA® Finalist and a 2014 Carol Award finalist, Beth is a contemporary romance novelist with Howard Books. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. In 2015 she introduced her destination wedding series with both an e-novella, Can’t Buy Me Love, (May) and a novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love (June). Find out more about Beth K. at http://bethvogt.com.


MY THOUGHTS

Who doesn't love a summertime wedding story? Beth K Vogt has penned a delightful novel of a bride reluctantly planning a destination wedding in the very town where she made an impetuous decision to elope as a teenager. Stormy weather is ahead in more ways than one, and Vogt creates plenty of drama when Vanessa and her first husband, Logan, continue to bump into each other. I loved the characters in this story--well, except for Vanessa's rigid, workaholic, fiance!--and the layers of relationships built into this novel. Mr. and Mrs. Wright completely charmed my heart, as did the loving care Vanessa and Logan provided for them during the storm. A strong start to a promising series, Crazy Little Thing Called Love is the perfect addition to your summer reading list.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from Howard Books and Litfuse Publicity for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Cool Kids Do the Hodgepodge!

I''m chilling out this week with Joyce and the Wednesday Hodgepodge!



1. Is your home air conditioned? If it's not air conditioned, is that by choice? Did you grow up with air conditioning? If not how did you cope with the heat? Share about a time or place you remember as being too hot-the temperature kind of hot, lest anyone be confused.

You bet it's air-conditioned! This is Texas! And I grew up with a/c, but that was in the Dark Ages before central air. We had a window unit in the living room, which meant it was freezing in there and so-so in the rest of the house. I think I was in third-grade when we got a/c in the schools. The then-60(ish)-year-old dorms at The University of Texas thirty-five years ago were not air-conditioned, but with big windows and fans, it was only difficult the first month of school. After that, it was fine. Now, I hear that they have air-conditioned those historic old dorms. Kids today are such wimps. LOL

I have been really hot a number of times, but I can't recall specifics at the moment. I don't perspire, so my face just turns extremely red, plus I get a migraine out in the heat. Even guzzling plenty of fluids doesn't prevent me from overheating like a hissing radiator, although I've never had a medical emergency from it.

2. What's something in your life right now that falls under the heading 'up in the air'?

Well, we're not quite there, but my son's about to be faced with a decision about employment after college.

3. Your favorite light and airy dessert?

Whipped cream on you-name-it. The real thing, that you whip yourself, not squirt out of a can or scoop from a frozen container.

4. When did you last feel like you were 'floating on air'?

When we went on vacation a few weeks ago. And since we flew, I guess I really was!

5. Airport, airmail, airtight, airhead...which have you most recently encountered? Explain.

Airport. On our vacation to Seattle the end of June.

6. Have you ever been to the Alps? If so where did you go? If not, is this a destination on your must-see list? If you were headed that direction this summer, which of the following would be your preferred activity...a gentle walk, a serious walk, a bike ride, a boat ride around one of the lakes, or summer snow skiing?

Never been. I'd like to go, but it's not a burning quest. I love boat rides on the lake.

7. What is one saying or phrase that was considered 'cool' when you were growing up?

In high school, we did everything "to the max!"

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Speaking of being lighter than air. . . .!

Tattered and Mended

Tattered and Mended:
The Art of Healing the Wounded Soul
Cynthia Ruchti
(Abingdon Press)
ISBN: 978-1426787690
July 2015/208 pages/$15.99
A crumbling statue. A torn tapestry. A discolored painting.

Artisans can reclaim exquisite beauty from the broken, frayed, and hopelessly shattered—perhaps once thought beyond repair. But what about us? What of the wounds that keep us from living the life we want to live?

In Tattered and Mended, readers walk through a gallery of reclaimed and restored art as well as broken and restored lives of those who have gone before us. With a gentle touch and personable wisdom, Cynthia Ruchti shows how even the most threadbare soul can once again find healing and hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories “hemmed in hope.” She’s the award-winning author of sixteen books and a frequent speaker for women’s ministry events. She serves as the Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers, where she helps retailers, libraries, and book clubs connect with the authors and books they love. She lives with her husband in Central Wisconsin.

Find out more about Cynthia at www.cynthiaruchti.com.



MY THOUGHTS

"People are tattered. Some say, 'Then let's make tattered fashionable.' But God invites us to mend."
I love, love, love Cynthia Ruchti's writings, both fiction and non-fiction. Hemmed in hope perfectly captures the theme of all of her books, and Tattered and Mended could be considered the hallmark for this message. In a throwaway world where shabby chic dominates decorating magazines and crafters repurpose discarded junk into decorative and useful treasure, Ruchti shares how God is able to beautifully restore a life that some might think is beyond repair. Each chapter highlights a restorative art, some of which I had not encountered before, and then Ruchti draws parallels between that method and the work the Master Artist undertakes to mend a soul. This is a book for the heart, and one to savor, reflect on, and read again. The

first chapter prompted me to dig out the sock darning egg my mom used when I was a child and keep it out as a reminder that while socks with holes may get tossed in the trash today, God doesn't discard his tattered children. Real-life stories add a personal touch to this book, and Ruchti's gentle prose made me feel as though I were having coffee with a mentor as I read. Don't miss this wise and encouraging book. Grab one for yourself and for someone you know who is feeling a bit tattered.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


How can the wounds that keep us from living the life we want to live be mended and healed? In Tattered and Mended, Cynthia Ruchti walks readers through a gallery of reclaimed and restored art as well as broken and restored lives of those who have gone before us. With a gentle touch and personable wisdom, Cynthia shows how even the most threadbare soul can once again find healing and hope.

Celebrate the release of Tattered and Mended with Cynthia by entering to win her Reclaimed Treasures giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Tattered and Mended
• A vintage flatware key ring
• A handcrafted "broken china" charm bracelet
• A recycled guitar string bracelet

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 27th. The winner will be announced July 28th on Cynthia's blog.

 

Plus, now through mid-July, sign up for Cynthia's mailing list for a five-day virtual tour around Madeline Island for the chance to win a Hemmed in Hope prize pack. Each day begins with an email from Cynthia that introduces where you'll be “visiting” that day (all key places from As Waters Gone By) with various interactive elements, including“I wish you were here” postcards, trivia quizzes, and an ongoing Island scavenger hunt. The person who interacts the most will win a Hemmed in Hope prize pack (valued at more than $200).

 

That includes:

• The letterpress block Hope sign from DaySpring
• A set of 6 Hemmed in Hope notecards showing a hope-themed Bible verse
• A leather “I can’t unravel, I’m hemmed in hope” journal
• Signed copies of each of Cynthia’s books, fiction and non-fiction

21 Days of Grace

21 Days of Grace:
Stories that Celebrate God's Unconditional Love
Compiled by Kathy Ide
featuring
Angela Hunt, Deborah Raney
Cindy Woodsmall, Tracy Higley and more
(Broadstreet Publishing)
ISBN: 978-1424550234
June 2015/192 pages/$14,99 (Hardcover)
For every woman who understands the power of a story to change a life

21 Days of Grace is a collection of short, fiction stories featuring real-life truths about God's unconditional love. Engaging stories, followed by personal, meaningful application, provide fiction-lovers the perfect blend of inspiring story and thought-provoking devotions.

Read these heart-warming stories over breakfast, at lunch break, before bed, or curled up in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee. They are sure to shed light on important issues and bring you encouragement for daily living.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Compiler and editor Kathy Ide has been a published author since 1989. She has written fiction and nonfiction books and is the author of Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors. She has ghostwritten ten nonfiction books and a series of five novels. She also writes columns of writing and editing tips for blogs and newsletters. Kathy makes her home in Orange County, California.

MY THOUGHTS

This is a charming little book full of inspiring stories from a variety of authors. Each story is brief and is followed by a short Life Application. I was familiar with several of the authors while others were new to me. Perfect to use as a summer devotional or to tuck in your bag for those times of waiting, 21 Days of Grace will encourage you and remind that God's touches of grace and love appear when we least expect it.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from Kathy Ide for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Beach Giveaway with A Heart's Promise

A Heart's Promise
(A Journey of the Heart, Book 5)
Colleen Coble
(Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 978-0718031688
July 2015/112 pages/$6.99

Emmie makes a promise to her friend that, if fulfilled, could mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac.

Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Though Emmie resolves to keep her heart in check, it hurts when she sees that another woman has set her bonnet for Isaac.

Then Emmie’s dear friend extracts a costly promise: if anything happens to her in childbirth, Emmie will marry her widower and raise the baby herself. And it seems Emmie may have to fulfill that promise. But can she live happily without Isaac?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written several romantic suspense novels including Tidewater Inn, Rosemary Cottage, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series. Find out more about Colleen at her website.



MY THOUGHTS

Colleen Coble's novella series continues with this penultimate installment, and as much as I enjoyed the beginnings of the series, this latter half is even better. Emmie Croftner gained my sympathy and admiration in the previous story; my heart broke for this young woman as she dealt with the emotional baggage resulting from past situations in her life. Coble gift for character development as well as setting shine in this story. I'm raising my mocha to the hearty women and men who endured harsh winters and dangerous conditions in the early days of our country's western expansion. Don't miss this book and series!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Click the titles for my reviews of the previous novellas in this serial:

A Heart's Disguise (Book 1)
A Heart's Obsession (Book 2)
A Heart's Danger (Book 3)
A Heart's Betrayal (Book 4)

* * * * *
Will the promise Emmie makes to her friend mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac? Find out in book five, A Heart's Promise, of Colleen Coble's A Journey of the Heart series. Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Can she live happily without Isaac?

Take a day off and head to the beach with a new giveaway from Colleen: five books (books one–five in Colleen's A Journey of the Heart series) and a beach bag to tote your new books in!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Heart's Promise
• A Lands' End beach tote
• A copy of A Heart's Betrayal
• A copy of A Heart's Disguise
• A copy of A Heart's Obsession
• A copy of A Heart's Danger

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced August 3rd on Colleen's website.

ACFW New Releases for July

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Amish Romance:

Her Brother's Keeper by Beth Wiseman -- Charlotte Dolinsky disguises herself as an Amish woman to investigate her brother's death never, expecting to fall in love with quiet Amish man Isaac Miller. (Amish Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])

Contemporary Romance:

The Cowboy's Surprise Baby by Deb Kastner -- Navy veteran Cole Bishop returns to Serendipity Texas to make a new life with his son, only to find he has to work with his high school flame, Tessa Applewhite. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

A Father's Second Chance by Mindy Obenhaus -- Businesswoman Celeste Thompson has one goal: to make her restaurant and hotel a success. She doesn't need any distractions, even from handsome contractor Gage Purcell and his two adorable little girls. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical Romance:

Among the Fair Magnolias by Tamera Alexander, Shelley Shepard Gray, Dorothy Love and Elizabeth Musser -- In the most turbulent decade of our nation's history, four Southern women--destinies forged by birth, hearts steeled by war--face near impossible choices on their journeys in life . . . and in love. (Historical Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])

The Daughters of Jim Farrell by Sylvia Bambola - Three sisters seek to prove their father innocent of murder in spite of great danger and the possibility they will loose the men they love. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

The Convenient Bride Collection by Amanda Barratt, Andrea Boeshaar, Mona Hodgson, Melissa Jagears, Maureen Lang, Gabrielle Meyer, Jennifer Uhlarik, Erica Vetsch and Renee Yancy -- God can take the best-laid plans and turn them into something even better, as nine couples who marry for convenience soon learn. In fascinating settings from America's history, the convenient brides take their nuptials out of necessity. . .never dreaming that God might turn them into true love stories for His glory. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Lady and the Mountain Fire by Misty M. Beller -- Care-giving granddaughter Claire Sullivan and Bryan Donaghue, a doctor with a bad reputation, can't seem to get along-until disaster strikes their wild Montana mining town, and Claire's desire to help lands her in the midst of the fire. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

To Capture Her Heart (The Southold Chronicles) by Rebecca DeMarino -- In 1653, when Heather Flower, a princess of the Montauk tribe, is kidnapped by a rival tribe, she finds herself rescued by handsome Dutch Lieutenant Dirk Van Buren. Torn between her affection for Dirk and her long friendship with family friend Benjamin Horton, Heather Flower must make a difficult choice--stay true to her friend or follow her heart. (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker Publishing])

A Bride at Last by Melissa Jagears -- Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony's wounded souls bind them together as a family, or will past hurts and new resentments leave them lonely forever? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing])

Irish Meadows (Courage to Dream) by Susan Anne Mason -- Two O'Leary sisters search for love and independence from their domineering father in 1911 Long Island, New York. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing])

The Cactus Creek Challenge by Erica Vetsch When a sheriff and a schoolmarm swap jobs for a month, the town of Cactus Creek is thrown into an uproar. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:

To Soar on Eagle's Wings by Renee Blare -- Spring arrives to the Snowy Range and instead of relaxation, Rachel finds herself the center of a Timber Springs crime spree, but she isn't too upset when she discovers the new game warden's an old family friend. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Gone Without a Trace by Patricia Bradley -- Homicide detective Livy Reynolds's cousin had disappeared from Logan Point. The last person she wants working the case with her is self-assured private investigator Alex Jennings. But when Alex contacts her with a lead, she'll have to find a way to work with him-before it's too late. (Romantic Suspense from Revell [Baker Publishing])

Emergency Reunion by Sandra Orchard -- Paramedic Sherri Steele refuses to believe someone's out to get her-until she's held at knifepoint in her own ambulance. With every emergency call to the paramedics turning into an attack on Sherri's life, it still takes her high school crush, deputy sheriff Cole Donovan, to convince her she needs protection. Cole is certain Sherri has a stalker-worse, his brother's the lead suspect. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Picture Perfect Love

Picture Perfect Love:
A June Wedding Story
(A Year of Weddings Novella Book 7)
Melissa McClone
(HarperCollins/Zondervan)
ASIN: B00KV0ZUWW
MQY 2015/1682 KB/$3.99
When image becomes everything, it’s up to love to refocus the heart.

Photographer Jenna Harrison wants every bride and groom to look picture perfect on their special day, putting her heart into every wedding to give the couple memorable images of their love. But her own heart is still broken, the unworn wedding dress hanging in her closet a reminder that relationships aren’t always as perfect as they look through her camera lens. But Jenna has faith that she will find true love. Until then, she must be patient and trust in God’s plan and His perfect timing.

Attorney Ashton Vance is the one that got away. When an embarrassing Photoshopped picture of him put an end to his political aspirations, he blamed Jenna. So what if the photo led to his being offered a dream job and changing his life for the better? Jenna betrayed his trust, and two years later, Ashton’s heart still hasn’t recovered.

It was me. His younger sister’s three words turn Ashton’s world upside down. He must ask Jenna’s forgiveness, but can he risk his heart a second time? Even if Jenna can forgive him, dare he hope for a second chance at her love?


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa McClone has published more than thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group. She has also been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.

Find out more about Melissa at http://www.melissamcclone.com.



MY THOUGHTS

This is the second novella in the Year of Weddings that I have read, and I enjoyed this short story. One of my frustrations with novellas is that their brevity requires a more rapid pace. While the author handles it fairly well, it could easily have been expanded into a full-length novel to add depth, character development, and a slower progression toward the resolution. Jenna and Ash are both likable characters, although Ash needs a bit of maturing, as evidenced by the events toward the end of the story. This is a fun summer romance, great to add to your e-reader for a quick afternoon read.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book free from Zondervan/Harper Collins Christian Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”