Hallee Bridgeman: Romance

Emerald Fire by Hallee Bridgeman
Review by Teisha Priest



I recently reviewed Sapphire Ice, by Hallee Bridgeman. After reading it, I was really looking forward to the second book in her series, Emerald Fire, and I was not disappointed!

In Sapphire Ice we met Maxine, the middle sister. I enjoyed reading more of her story in Emerald Fire. Another recurring character was the lawyer, Barry, who figures prominently into the story this time. Both Barry and Maxine have dealt with some very difficult circumstances in their lives. Unfortunately, their choices haven’t always made the situation better. But in the end, God’s grace can bring about good from anything, no matter how much we mess it up. Emerald Fire illustrates that beautifully!

One of the things I appreciate about Hallee’s characters in Emerald Fire is that they are very real and imperfect people. Maxine and Barry each have spiritual struggles they must work through over the course of the story. I also liked the fact that they faced the consequences of their decisions. The message that God works in every circumstance is encouraging and uplifting.

The ending felt a tad rushed, though the storyline was resolved well. One of the characters is in a serious car accident, and Hallee’s writing on the subject is excellent and very realistic. We get a glimpse of the recovery process that follows, but I wish that part had been expanded a bit more.

Sometimes the second book in a series just doesn’t turn out to be as good as the first. Happily, Emerald Fire is one of the exceptions! I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first book in the trilogy. It’s a good book with a solid message. But be warned, once you read Sapphire Ice and Emerald Fire, you will be anxiously awaiting the third book!


Hallee Bridgeman books at AMAZON

Carrie Turansky: A Man to Trust

A Man to Trust by Carrie Turansky
Review by Kara Grant

After years spent helping run her family's Christian bookstore, it's time for Adrie Chandler to give her own dream a chance. But can she really trust the beloved shop to new manager Ross Peterson? The man is too handsome, too charming…too much a reminder of another dream Adrie had to let go of—marriage.

Yet Ross surprises her by knowing a thing or two about making sacrifices. Suddenly, Adrie's questioning what she really wants. And whether the dreams she once thought unlikely are within reach after all (from Amazon.com).

Adrie has been training and practicing her flute for 14 years and dreams of playing full-time in an orchestra; it’s her God given gift and she will do what it takes to fulfill this calling she has. However, she stumbled upon a problem in her plans when instead of getting married her fiancé broke up with her after she learns he’s dating her best friend, YUCK! As the story begins we learn that Adrie is throwing a surprise birthday party for her grandmother, Marian, instead of walking down the aisle. Meeting Ross the same day was the last thing she expected and she struggles with keeping her distance throughout the first part of the story.

Ross is a photographer looking for a job to make ends meet since his studio went bankrupt. Working at the bookstore Adrie manages and her grandmother owns is ideal for him and he instantly clicks with Marian and the customers. Even though he’s a new believer he’s ready to follow the path God has for him and to step out in faith to manage the bookstore. He comes to love the job and community more than he bargained for, but will he be able to win Adrie’s heart in the process? Can he prove to her in time that he’s a man worth trusting?

My thoughts: I did not connect with this story right away, but I LOVED the title and knew it would be worth pursuing. Ever felt that way towards a book? That even though it doesn’t pull you in right away that once you get to the meat of the story, you know the end will make it worthwhile? Well, that’s what this book was like for me.

It bothered me to see how much Adrie worried about her future as a musician and that she was determined to not like Ross while everyone else sees God’s light in him. Then I considered a new perspective. How would I feel if my fiancé had dumped me and then I met a man who seemed in touch with everyone around him and capable of doing anything? The sweet part of this story is that Ross is willing to prove himself to Adrie, seek God in the process, and be reliable despite his own dreams and feelings. I also loved the relationship Adrie has with her grandmother, her missionary parents and her friend Rachel. I realized halfway through the story that Rachel and Cam, Adrie’s best friends, are the same characters from Seeking His Love by Turansky! What a treat! There is one scene in the book that I was NOT expecting and it helped me respect Adrie even more despite how distant she acts at first.
The characters in this book are flawed, but they are real. I highly recommend A Man to Trust to anyone who wants a story about starting over, trusting God with your talents, getting past a broken heart, a touching scene that interacts with foster children, a great bookstore, and Marian’s intervening best friends appropriately nicknamed the Bayside Treasures. This is the second book I’ve enjoyed by Turansky and I look forward to more of her stories.

I want to thank Carrie Turansky for providing me with a copy for my review. I was not required to write a positive review, but I had fun doing so. The opinions expressed are my own.

Other titles by Turansky that I have not read, but would definitely recommend are Along Came Love, A Big Apple Christmas, and Surrendered Hearts. For more information about this fabulous author, please visit her website at http://www.carrieturansky.com.


This and other books by Carrie Turansky at AMAZON

Christmas Gifts by Gail Gaymer Martin

Christmas Gifts

by Gail Gaymer Martin

Review by Heather Harden

I have a rule…no Christmas songs, decorations or fa-la-la-la-la fun until December. Over the last few years I’ve become a little fanatical about it as stores begin decorating in October. But when it comes to books from my favorite authors I’m more impatient than a child on Christmas morning. So when I got Gail Gaymer Martin‘s new Love Inspired release “Christmas Gifts” in the mail I started reading it immediately (even though Halloween hadn’t arrived.)

You’ll want to read this book anytime of the year-curled up by the fire in December or on the beach in July.

From the back cover

When seven-year-old twins act up in temporary teacher Amy Carroll’s class, she meets their very apologetic widowed father, Mike Russet. The handsome man has his hands full—but can two mini matchmakers and holiday cheer open his heart to Christmas romance?

Frazzled father Mike Russet is the man and the mom of the house. The widower is raising precocious seven-year-old twins Holly and Ivy.

Teacher Amy Carroll’s life is in upheaval. Budget cuts force her to leave her job in Chicago for a job in a small town. Even as she makes her new life she must deal with her baggage from the past.

Amy knows first hand what it’s liked to be raised by a single father. She sees a chance to help Mike give some tough love to the twins.

Mike sees beyond Amy’s beauty and hard shell.

The twins see a chance to help their favorite teacher find a permanent place in their school and in their daddy’s heart.

While Mike’s genuine faith challenges Amy to put the past to rest, Amy awakens feelings that the father thought he had buried with his wife.

The novel wraps up realism, romance, faith, and the magic of the season in one small package (It’s 110 pages and I read it in one sitting.) And “Christmas Gifts” keeps on giving with a bonus novel “Her Christmas Cowboy” by Brenda Minton.

I’m putting “Christmas Gifts” on my keeper shelf and I have a feeling I’ll be pulling it out this summer for a little Christmas in July!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heather Harden is a children’s librarian at a small town library in eastern North Carolina (where the kids make her feel like a super hero--just call her Library Girl.) She always has something in her hand: a book, a pen to write with, a crochet hook, a smartphone, chocolate--and a dust rag and broom when she must. She has worked for her local newspaper and as a freelance journalist. She has a heart for volunteer work in her community. Her favorite organization is Susan's Kids (www.susanskids.com), a Christian charity which provides spiritual and physical support for children in need across the world. For more reviews check her blog at http://ouradvocate.wordpress.com/

Some of the many books by Gail Gaymer Martin at Amazon.com

Hailee: Frontier Fiction

We are giving away a copy of Hailee, by Penny Zeller. Leave a comment on this post, with your e-mail (if we don't have it yet), so we can let you know if you are the winner. Runs AUG29-SEP3


CFBR: We are excited to hear about your latest novel, Hailee. What is the hook?

Penny Zeller: Hello, thank you for allowing me to be a guest on Christian Fiction Book Reviews. It’s great to be here. Following is the blurb for Hailee, the third book in my Montana Skies Historical Romance Series:

For years, orphan Hailee Annigan was just a ragamuffin in the Cincinnati streets, stealing food to keep her two younger brothers fed. Her thievery landed her in a home for delinquent youngsters, where her life was changed, thanks to her teachers. Now, nineteen-year-old Hailee excitedly heads to Montana to be a teacher, yet she's still plagued by her shameful past and the fear of never seeing her brothers again.

Based on his upbringing in high-society Boston, no one would have guessed that Maxwell Nathaniel Adams Jr. would attend seminary and become a church pastor in rugged Montana. Even now, Nate's parents refuse to put aside their own plans for his future and accept his calling.

When their paths converge, an immediate attraction draws Hailee and Nate together, even as the pressures and demands of others pull them apart. Can the unlikely pair come to terms with their pasts and face the future together?

CFBR: Who is your favorite Character and why?

Penny Zeller: My favorite character would be my heroine, Hailee Sophia Annigan. I love Hailee’s character for her fierce determination and her spunk. I love her compassionate heart, her strong faith, and her sweet spirit.

CFBR: What can Christian expect to get from the story?

Penny Zeller: My passion is to write books that impact lives for Christ. For the Christian reader, they can expect to share in Hailee’s pain and sorrow, as well as the joy she experiences. They will watch as her faith wavers and her heart breaks at the losses she experiences in life. They will share with Nate as he struggles to release to the Lord burdens he was never meant to carry. My books are character-driven, and as such, throughout the book and with a variety of characters, readers will catch a glimpse of struggles with forgiveness, Salvation, rededication to Christ, and the hope of a new life.

CFBR: How long does it take you to complete a novel? 

Penny Zeller: This is a great question. Actually, it really varies. Sometimes it can be as little as two months and sometimes as long as five or six months. I think my average would be about three months for the first draft. However, I give my books and my writing to the Lord, so I’m learning to write on His schedule.

CFBR: What advice would you give to a fledgling author?

Penny Zeller: I offer several writing helps on my blog, at http://pennyzeller.wordpress.com/sticking-with-writing/ including how to stick with writing and information about how to prepare for a writer’s conference.

I am humbled how the Lord has placed me in a mentoring position for new writers through a Writer’s Bible Study. When I chat with a fledgling author, I ask what he/she envisions themselves doing for God’s Kingdom and how can I pray and encourage him/her in that pursuit. One of the most important things to remember in being a writer is that if God has called you to write, He will guide you, one step at a time.

In November of 2000, I gave my writing to the Lord. I quit my fulltime job with a social services governmental agency so I could stay home with my infant daughter. That was the start of my career, beginning with magazine articles. I would advise a new writer to give his/her writing to the Lord and to not give up! I speak from experience when I say that when He closes one door, He opens another (much better) one.

CFBR: If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing?

Penny Zeller: Probably a television talk show host for a Christian TV show. I think that would be a lot of fun! 

Thank you again for having me as your guest!

I love to connect with my readers at my website www.pennyzeller.com,

My humor blog (A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author) www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com,

On Twitter at http://twitter.com/pennyzeller, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959?ref=ts where I post updates about new books, giveaways, events, and Just-for-Fun Fridays.

Book by Penny Zeller at Amazon

       

Carrie Turansky: Inspirational Romance

CFBR: Hi, Carrie. Thanks for talking with us. Tell us about the two books you have coming out.

Carrie: Thanks for inviting me to be a guest on your blog, and thanks for asking about my two new books. 

Christmas Mail-Order Brides, is a historical inspirational romance collection of four novellas about young women who travel west in the 1880s on the new transcontinental railroad to marry men they have never met. Each bride heads for a different state on rail line, adding variety to the stories. 

My novella, A Trusting Heart, features Swedish immigrant, Annika Bergstrom, who takes the train from Chicago to Wyoming to meet a young widowed rancher with a seven-year-old daughter, but when she arrives her groom has disappeared. While she waits for his return, she finds herself falling in love with his brother, and she must decide if she will follow her heart or wait for the man she promised to marry. My co-authors are Vickie McDonough, Susan Page Davis, and Therese Stenzel. It's published by Barbour Publishing and available in stores September 1.

The second book, Seeking His Love, is a contemporary inspirational romance. It tells the story of Rachel Clark, a young teacher who moves to Fairhaven, Washington, after being falsely accused of having an inappropriate relationship with one of her students. She takes a job as director of a youth theater program and must find a new location for her group. The Fairhaven Arts Center has the ideal space, but Cameron McKenna, who oversees the center, is not eager to include her or her kids. Cam lost his wife and young son in a tragic accident five years earlier, and being around children reminds him of the guilt he still carries. When a family crisis occurs, he must temporarily care for his fourteen-year-old niece, and he needs Rachel’s help and advice. She comes along side and not only teaches him how to relate to his niece, she also shows him how to overcome his past hurts and open his heart to love again. Seeking His Love is published by Steeple Hill and available on September 28th.

CFBR: How do you use Fiction to connect people to God?

Carrie: I believe Christian fiction not only offers people a great way to relax and escape, it provides hope, encouragement, and inspiration as readers identify with the experiences of the characters, and then see how their faith is lived out. Fiction has a way of touching the heart just like the parables of Jesus did. If God's truth is skillfully woven into the story, then it can have a lasting impact on readers.

CFBR: What is your writing process? 

Carrie: I use a combination of pre-writing tools including Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake program and Susie Warren's My Book Therapy ideas. I get to know my characters, their dreams, fears, goals, desires, the lies they believe and the truths that will set them free, and then I outline the story. Each day when I sit down to write I reread a bit from the day before, lightly editing, then I continue on and work toward my word count goal. I try to turn off the internal editor and just write, knowing it is a bit stinky, but that I will be able to go back and revise. That is tough. I want it to come out perfect the first time I write, but that doesn't usually happen, and that's okay. It's better to be creative and get it down, then go back later and revise. 

CFBR: What authors do you draw inspiration from?

Carrie: I love to read! Some of my favorites are Cathy Gohlke, Trish Perry, Jan Karron, Siri Mitchell, Denise Hunter, Robin Lee Hatcher, and many others. 

CFBR: How do you market and promote your books?

Carrie: I believe the best marketing tool is to write a great book that makes readers want to buy that next book. I also believe in building relationships with readers by responding to their emails, connecting on facebook, and offering them information on my website and through newsletters to keep them informed about my books. I do a lot of online promotion through blog interviews. I give away free books all the time. This summer I took speakers training through Proverbs 31 She Speaks Conference so I can improve in that area. I attend conferences and learn all I can. I promote other authors and am involved in American Christian Fiction Writers. That's a great organization for training and networking.

CFBR: Do you have any advice for aspiring Christian Fiction authors?

Carrie: I encourage aspiring authors to join ACFW. You can learn so much about the business of publishing and the skills you need to improve your writing. They have an informative e-loop, monthly classes, a great website with tons of info archived, critique groups, and a fantastic annual national conference. It's in Indianapolis this year, September 17 - 20. Visit their website for info.

After you write that first book, write a second. You learn how to write by writing and reading, so don't stop after that first book. You never know how successful you could be if you quit. I wrote 5 complete books before the first one was accepted by a publisher. That took me about 5 years. It was a huge investment, but I consider those books like going to college to study writing. And now when I look back at my first book I cringe a little, and I am glad I kept learning and growing as a writer. 

CFBR: Thank you so much for sharing with us.

CFBR: You're welcome, John. I want to invite your blog readers to come by my website for more tips for writers, info on my books, recipes, articles, a list of books I'm reading and recommend, photos, and more. Blessings and happy reading and writing!

Carrie Turansky
http://www.facebook.com/l/f9fcbi6WCU-6Ans7gyT2UxNWn0Q;www.carrieturansky.com


Available at Amazon
Seeking His Love
Christmas Mail-Order Brides