Carol Moncado

Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough

When Riley Morgan returns home after fighting in the War Between the States, he is excited to see his parents and fiancee again. But he soon learns that his parents are dead and the woman he loved is married. He takes a job at the Wilcox School for the blind just to get by. He keeps his heart closed off but a pretty blind woman, Annie, threatens to steal it. When a greedy man tries to close the school, Riley and Annie band together to fight him and fall in love. But when Riley learns the truth about Annie, he packs and prepares to leave the school that has become his home and the woman who has thawed his heart. Will he change his mind and find the love he craves’ Or will stubbornness deprive him from the woman he needs. Through painful circumstances, Riley and Annie learn that the loving and sovereign hand of God cannot be thwarted.

I have not read the first two books in this series but they weren’t necessary to enjoying this one. At least one of the other books was referenced and makes me want to look up the other two ;).

Riley is faced with a number of challenges as soon as he makes it home – the death of his parents, the destruction of his home and the marriage of his fiancé.

Annie hasn’t had an easy life – from the loss of her mother at a very young age to her father forcing her into a life of crime and eventually abandoning her.

They meet at a school for the blind where Annie has lived for a number of years and where Riley finds work after his life falls apart. When the benefactor for the school dies, the new owner threatens to close the school forcing them to try to find alternative funding or another location for the school.

I loved the characters – Annie, Riley, the rest of the children and staff at the school, the townspeople, the preacher traveling through who helps Riley and Annie both see the truth. All of them have to overcome difficulties to find the path God has for them and the happiness in store.

I look forward to reading the other books in this series, including another one by Ms. McDonough.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Thanks to Jeanne from Wynn-Wynn Media for sending me this book for my honest review.

I’ve been planning a fun ‘Look what I saw at the store and jumped in my cart’ post but… well… there’s been a bunch of other stuff going on…

I am down to about 4 books in my To Review/Influence pile. It hasn’t been that low in MONTHS. Maybe I need to sign up for some more ;). Of course, I have plenty of “as soon as I get done with books I HAVE to read, I’m going to read these” books to read so I’m sure I’ll stay busy. Plus I need to write.

BUT… I’ve been on some fairly strong drugs the last few days. And narcotics aren’t conducive to writing. At least not coherently [after you read this you can tell me… because I’m on some right now ;)].

A couple weeks ago, I had a biopsy done on this spot on my nose. A few days later, the nurse called and told me it’s a basal cell carcinoma. Skin cancer. But it’s like the least bad kind of cancer ever. They scheduled me for a Mohs procedure which has a cure rate of about 99%. We told the kids it was an infection because of all the connotations that go along with the word ‘cancer’ – they know my mom died of cancer, but for most of the kids, they wouldn’t understand the difference between her very, very bad kind of stomach cancer and my very not bad kind of skin cancer.

It did hit me a bit extra hard because my oldest daughter is, literally, about a week from the exact same age I was when my mom died. Not a day goes by that I don’t miss her.

So, last Friday, they did the Mohs. And they got all the bad stuff but when the doc went to stitch up my nose, he decided it was going to be way too hard to do, especially just using local anesthesia. He sent us to a plastic surgeon who is going to fix it using general anesthesia on Wednesday morning [very, very early in the morning]. Until then, I have a hole in my nose – roughly the size of a nickel. Maybe a bit bigger.

And I have good drugs. Because it hurts having a hole in your nose.

It also makes it hard to concentrate on writing – at least writing anything coherent. But it also gave me a much needed obstacle for my hero and heroine in Finding Mr. Write to go through together. You know. Before I rip them apart ;).

Because that’s what we writers do :D.

So now, I’m going to sit here in the living room, under my comfy flannel sheet, with my hubby and kids, and watch The Voice. Because we love it. And because I’m really not doing much but chillin’ on the couch these days anyway ;).

What about you? What’re you up to?

Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble

Lucy Marsh’s worldly resources are running out, but she’s fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father’s recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he’d marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh-a city girl-on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he’d give anything to protect Lucy and the children he’s grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense . . . immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.

I loved this book! I finished it an afternoon [even though I was on drugs that make me sleepy due to surgery – I could have slept, but I couldn’t because I had to keep reading!] and am looking forward to the next one in the series. I have several of Ms. Coble’s books on my bookshelves, but I think this is the first one I’ve actually read. It won’t be the last.

I loved Lucy’s spunk and determination. I adored her little sister, Eileen. Little brother, Jed, was wonderful with his desire to protect those he loves.

Nate had no idea his father was going to find him a bride by proxy. He has no desire to be married to someone he doesn’t know, especially not someone as seemingly unsuited as Lucy. Before long, even he has to admit that her being there has made his life better and he’s falling in love with both her and her siblings.

Coble has woven a wonderful romance under the Texas stars – with just enough suspense to keep one guessing who the bad guy is and what he – or she – is really after. You’ll fall in love with Lucy, Nate, Jed and Eileen while also falling in love with the Texas landscape and the Stars Above Ranch.

Overall Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing and their BookSneeze program for a free copy of the book. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot

Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte’s letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads West to Wyoming. The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day. 

When circumstances–and perhaps a bit of matchmaking–put Abigail and Ethan together, there’s certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?

This is my second book by Ms. Cabot and the first book in the Westward Winds series. Set at Ft. Laramie in the years after the Civil War and not long before it closed, the setting was perfect.

I loved Abigail. Spunky, determined, and cares deeply for those around her. I also loved Ethan. A soldier to the core, he’s also able to admit when he’s wrong and love deeply.

There’s an element of suspense with the stage coach robberies etc. and Ms. Cabot kept me guessing to the end with who the bad guy was. She even had me questioning my thoughts on someone I was just sure was innocent.

One thing I wasn’t crazy about was the very ending itself. Not enough of the ‘after’ I’ve mentioned before. BUT this is book 1. There is resolution to the stagecoach robberies and so on, but still enough loose ends that I expect to see at least some of the characters carry over into the rest of the series. That should satisfy my inner literary voyeur by the time all is said and done.

I look forward to book 2 in the series.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

I was provided a free influencer copy of the book by Revell.

Yahshua’s Bridge by Sandi Rog

An amethyst stone draws him to his past.

An elusive maiden draws him to his future.

Alexander is born into slavery under an abusive master: a master of his own flesh and blood … a man he will never call father. Determined to break away from his master’s hold, Alexander devises a plan to purchase his freedom. But what’s he to do when he finds himself shipped off in shackles to Egypt, disappearing from the lives of everyone he knows and loves?

This is a tough review for me to write. I loved Master’s Wall and this is the sequel with David and Alethea in major supporting roles and their daughter as the heroine. A number of other characters pop up as well.

The book is just as well written as the first one, but deals with a time and place where persecution of Christians was far beyond what was present in the first book. With that in mind, it was a much tougher read. Ms. Rog doesn’t shy away from the realities of life for Christians in Rome. How many of them stood there in the face of the lions and never denied their Savior? How many of us would do the same?

And that’s where the rub lies. This isn’t always an easy read. Ms. Rog does an excellent job of pulling the reader into the world, making the reader understand and feel what’s going on with the characters even as the situation is one that makes most of us want to run and hide.

The love story works wonderfully. Alexander and Elianna are fabulous and that part of the book is superb, wonderful reading. The only thing I wished for there is a bit more ‘after’. We do learn a little bit of what happens after they declare their love, etc. but I would have liked… more. We saw a bit of that more with David and Alethea in Master’s Wall and I wish there had been a tad more here. There will be at least one more book in the series and I hope to see some of it there.

So I give the rating below but with a warning that this isn’t an easy romance read. Gut wrenching, heart wrenching stories of sacrifice for their God, their Yahshua, yes. Romance? Also yes. But a fun read? No.

On a separate note, Ms. Rog was diagnosed with Stage 4 T-cell Lymphoma the day her first book released. Just recently, she was determined to be in remission. The same God who was with those Christians as they faced the lions is still alive and well today and has answered the prayers of Sandi, her family and so many others with that news.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10 stars

I was provided with a free influencer copy of the book by the publisher.

Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay. 

Though facing eviction, Rosa can’t keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can’t help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Regina a bit and knew this was a book I wanted to get my hands on. When she asked if I wanted to be an influencer, I jumped on it!

This is an adaptation of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Set a few years after the Civil War in Texas, Rosa travels to Texas with her mother-in-law, Louise. Louise and her husband, along with their son, moved to Mexico a decade earlier but with their passing, Louise decided it was time to head home. With nothing to keep her in Mexico, Rosa goes with her, determined to make sure her mother-in-law is well taken care of.

The problem?

The renter of their land abandoned it and the property taxes are several years behind. If they don’t come up with the money in 90 days, they’ll lose it all.

Enter Weston. Nephew of Louisa and a fairly well off rancher, he has heartache in his past, but also the means to pay the taxes. Will he help? And what strings will be attached? Someone else in town has offered his help, but the strings? Well, they’re not ones Rosa wants anything to do with.

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting. I’d had a very rough day following a rough week and needed to escape, just for a bit. This book did that for me. I laughed, I cried, I was immersed in the world Regina created. I loved strong, cowboy Weston. He reminded me to a degree of my favorite hero, Mary Connealy’s Tom Linscott. That, my friends, says quite a lot. I love Tom so much as a character that I stole his last name for a character of my own. Comparing Weston to him says something about Regina’s ability to craft a wonderful character. I can’t say that Weston supplanted ol’ Tom, but he’s up there on my list of favorite 1800s heroes.

I loved Rosa. Her spunk. Her determination to do what she had to do to protect herself, her mother-in-law, her land. I sympathized with her when others looked at her, talked about her behind her back, and tried to take advantage of her and her lack of knowledge about the way things work in America.

I loved the supporting characters. The cast of family and friends surrounding the Garner family were wonderful, especially Eliza and Jake. Wonderful characters, so much so that I wish they had their own book [though it would have to be a prequel as they’re already married… at least in a typical romance fashion, but hey, I’ll take a sequel with them :D]. I should have asked Regina if this is a series because I’m not sure, but I hope she revisits these characters – there are several singletons who would work well as a second and third book.

There was enough of the ‘after’ to make me happy as well. I’m not always crazy about endings where he proposes and they have their first kiss on the last page. They don’t have to go through some big thing together as a couple, but I do like it if we see a bit of the HEA and we get that here.

A couple of things sort of niggled at me as I read, that bugged me just a bit, but even though I finished the book early [very early!] this morning, I already don’t remember what they were specifically so they couldn’t have been that big ;). Nothing that stood out too much.

So, Regina, great job! Now… when’s the next one? 😉

Overall rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars

I was provided with a free influencer copy of the book by the publisher.

No, not an editor or an agent, but my FIRST first place finish in a contest!!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!

Some serious Snoopy dancin’ goin’ on around here!

Because I HAD to get a screen grab…

I don’t know the other gals, but CONGRATS to them too!

The prize is the chance to submit to an editor at Thomas Nelson. They’re only the largest Christian publisher in the world. There’s no guarantee of anything beyond that, but there is the guarantee that she’ll at least look at the first 15 pages of my manuscript!

If you want to check out the full list of finalists, you can check out the Gotcha! page over at SVRWA.

I’m all flittery… 😀

I got this book a while ago to write a review on. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it is a great read for any parent – not just Daddies and Daughters.

Endorsement:

Daddy Dates gives the average Joe easy steps to actively and successfully engage with his daughter and raise a confident woman-to-be.

When faced with the reality of raising four (4!) teen daughters, Greg Wright went on a soul quest. 

He came back with a mission:  Don’t Screw Up. 

This funny, insightful, and relatable book poses the wildly original concept that should be a “duh” for most dads-but isn’t: In order to raise a confident woman-to-be, show your daughter what it feels like to be treated with love, respect, and true interest by a man who loves her.

Daddy Dates shows the average father how to actually do that.  It is written in an original voice and will appeal to both men and women. It is the kind of action-oriented “how to” material that guys enjoy, and so many others will recommend to other dads.

My plan for dealing with my young girls when they reach adolesence is for Jesus to come back so I don’t have to worry about it. Just in case, I’m going to start now stealing as many of Greg Wright’s ideas as I can. 

–Matt Crossman, Senior Writer for SPORTING NEWS magazine (and father of 2 daughters)

Written by a man with a simple goal [“Don’t screw up”], Daddy Dates should be required reading for any man with daughters.

My husband already does a variation* of what is talked about in the book – but my oldest is just now ten. As she [and her two sisters] grow up, he’ll take them on official dates, showing them how they should expect to be treated. We’ll have three girls in high school at ones. The mere thought is enough to give me hives. Trying to make sure they end up with good guys who treat them right, adds hyperventilating to the list of complaints.

This book offers practical ways to help my husband [and I, with our son] plan for those dates and help us as we help guide our kids to adulthood. I only hope that my daughters turn out as well as the author’s seem to have turned out.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to BookSneeze for a review copy.

*Right now, Daddy Date Day consists of things like bowling or the farm where the horses are or other kid specific outings.

Casey mentioned this incident on Seekerville today.

But the link she put up didn’t work for me. So I’m posting the pic here.

Because I can.

And because I love Casey :D.