Book Review with Featured Author: What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle

 

 

 

Publisher & Release: Waterbrook, May 3, 2022

Setting:  Small Town USA

Genre: Christian Fiction

Length: 332 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

An uplifting novel about three months that may change three lives—and lead to love—from USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle

Working at a little shop on Main Street in a small town is exactly the break that executive Merry Anna Foster needs following her divorce. She’s made a bet with her ex-husband that she can live on the amount of money she’s giving him in alimony. If she can do it, then Kevin will have to stop complaining and leave her alone. But after three months of this new life, will she even want to leave Antler Creek? 

Adam Locklear, bull rider and owner of the local feedstore, is having the best year of his rodeo career. He’s also a bit distracted by the pretty new neighbor living in his old bunkhouse. But Adam has no time for matters of the heart. He’s got his future all mapped out, and that future doesn’t involve a woman just yet. It doesn’t involve parenting a little girl either. However, Carly Fowler still suddenly leaves five-year-old Zan—the daughter Adam didn’t know he had—in his care. 

Is it possible that the future holds a life even better than what Merry Anna and Adam had each dreamed of? One that includes both tenderness and even love—not just for each other but for Zan too.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/What-Remains-True-Nancy-Naigle-ebook/dp/B09BTVQP6N

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-remains-true-nancy-naigle/1139966213

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/what-remains-true

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Nancy_Naigle_What_Remains_True?id=nJo7EAAAQBAJ

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/What-Remains-True-Audiobook/B09FFQVRTS?qid=1651275129&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=VH94M5V3YTPWQHWB96H7

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58735014-what-remains-true?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RiQpTOf9So&rank=2

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/what-remains-true-by-nancy-naigle

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of What Remains True by Nancy Naigle. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

What Remains True is another well written novel with complex characters and a heartfelt plot. The pacing pulled me into the story right away and kept my interest until the end. The writing gives just enough description to allow my imagination the wander.

 

Merry Anna Foster is the heroine, and she has a bit of baggage from her past marriage. Her ex-husband expects her to continue to support him so he can skate by without working. This makes her distrustful of men and determined to remain heart whole.

 

Adam Locklear is a yummy hero, a cowboy who is determined to carry away the title as the best bull rider of the year. When life throws him a curveball, he must re-evaluate his goals. He accepts the arrival of Zan who he finds out is his daughter fairly well. I liked his willingness to accept the child and care for her when her mother has a mental breakdown.

 

The romance between Adam and Merry Anna is sweet as it usually is in Ms. Naigle’s romances. The couple are drawn to each other, even though each are fighting it all the way. I enjoyed their romance and wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy sweet, contemporary romance with engaging characters and a faith-based plot, then you will love What Remains True as much as I did. I always enjoy Ms. Naigle’s novels, and this is one of her best. Happy reading!

  

 

Author Bio:

 

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career as an SVP for Bank of America and life on a seventy-six-acre goat farm. 

 

Now enjoying an early retirement from the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, cooking, trail riding on her Palomino, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she now calls North Carolina home. 

 

Best known for her small-town stories set in Adams Grove, Sweet Tea and Secrets leads off this small town series. Stay tuned for news about the release of Porch Swings and Promises.

 

Nancy writes romance and women's fiction for Montlake Romance and St. Martin's Press and enjoys the diversity of adding mysteries to her list of accomplishments through Crossroads Publishing House. She's also working on several projects with Hallmark. Watch for Nancy's novels, Christmas Joy, Christmas in Evergreen and Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa on Hallmark Channel, and Hope at Christmas, on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. New in 2020, The Secret Ingredient made its Hallmark Channel debut, and stay tuned for news about the movie based on Sand Dollar Cove.

​

Sign up for Nancy's newsletter at the bottom of this page to be the first to hear about the new movie.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://www.nancynaigle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyNaigleAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyNaigle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancynaigle/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancynaigle/_created/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-naigle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4575284.Nancy_Naigle

 

 

Book review with Featured Author: Earning Her Trust by Brenda Minton

Earning Her Trust by Brenda Minton

 

 

Publisher & Release: Love Inspired, April 26, 2022

Setting:  Small Town USA

Genre: Christian Romance

Length: 237 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

With a little help, she can face any challenge…

How can she move on

when the past is knocking?

Just when Emery Guthrie thinks she’s put her childhood trauma behind her with the help of her beloved service dog, Beau Wilde returns to town. She can’t believe her high school bully now has guardianship of two orphaned children. But Beau has changed. And with her help, he’s determined to prove he can be a father…but can he convince Emery to become part of their family?

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Earning-Her-Trust-Inspirational-Companions-ebook/dp/B09KPX6VSY

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earning-her-trust-brenda-minton/1140468353

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/earning-her-trust-1

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Brenda_Minton_Earning_Her_Trust?id=vnJLEAAAQBAJ

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59485025-earning-her-trust

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/earning-her-trust-by-brenda-minton

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Earning her Trust by Brenda Minton. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this heartfelt novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

Earning her Trust is a well written Christian fiction romance with delightful characters and a well thought out plot. The pacing pulled me into the story right away and kept me enmeshed until the end. The descriptive writing gives this tale and clear picture of the setting, and the appearance of the characters.

 

Emery Guthrie is the heroine, and her character has good depth. I understood her motivations and goals. Her conflict over her feeling for the hero is clear, and I felt her pain and fear. Her kind heart toward the two young girls in story, moved me.

 

Beau Wilde is the hero, and he has a past with Emery, which certainly added to her hesitance about developing affections for him. Ms. Minton does an excellent job redeeming him from the callow youth in high school. Beau is a determined man and does all he can to prove to Emery he’s a changed man.

 

The romance between Emery and Beau is hesitant, yet lovely. While it takes some time for Emery to let go of her fears, Beau is patient and kind. Since this is a clean romance, there’s no flare of passion between them. However, there is plenty of emotions going on, and I wanted them to find their happy ending.

 

If you enjoy clean romances with endearing characters with an absorbing plot, then you will love Earning her Trust as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Minton, but I will be looking for her other books. Happy reading!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Brenda Minton lives in the Ozarks with her husband, three children and a few too many pets. She's a pastor's wife as well as children's ministry worker. 

Her hobbies include sitting on the porch drinking coffee and going out to eat with friends. 

If you enjoy her Love Inspired Cooper Creek series, you can find Brenda most days drinking coffee and hanging out on facebook.

 

Social Media:

Website: http://www.brendaminton.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.minton

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendaminton

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-minton

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1144373.Brenda_Minton

 

Book Review with featured Author: From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer

From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer

 

 

Publisher & Release: Waterbrook, February 23, 2021

Setting:  Present Day, Kansas          

Genre: Christian Fiction

Length: 275 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A lost ring brings together two wounded souls—a youth minister haunted by the past and a spunky church custodian—in this heartwarming romance from the bestselling author of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow.
 
“Kim Vogel Sawyer is an amazing storyteller who crafts each of her stories with page-turning excitement and rich character development.”—Tracie Peterson, bestselling author of the Golden Gate Secrets series

Growing up in the foster care system, Jase Edgar always dreamed of one day starting his own family. But his fiancée's untimely death shattered his plans. Moving to Kansas and serving as a youth minister should be a fresh start, but he can't seem to set aside his doubts about God's goodness long enough to embrace his new life. 

Newly-appointed church custodian, Lori Fowler is battling her own challenges. Her strained relationship with her father and her struggles with overeating convince her she's not worthy enough for love. When an Amish weaver enlists their help locating the owner of a ring found among the donated clothing she uses as fabric, Jase and Lori find themselves drawn to each other. But will they be able to release the past and move forward from this moment into a joyful future?

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/This-Moment-Kim-Vogel-Sawyer-ebook/dp/B08941YKLC

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-this-moment-kim-vogel-sawyer/1137077499

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/from-this-moment-17

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kim_Vogel_Sawyer_From_This_Moment?id=spvmDwAAQBAJ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/from-this-moment/id1515015577?_bbid=16083355&mt=11&id=1515015577

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54306788-from-this-moment

BoobBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/from-this-moment-by-kim-vogel-sawyer

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the electronic copy of From This Moment by Kim Vogel Sawyer. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced them.

 

From This Moment is a heartfelt Christian novel with endearing characters and an emotional plot that has a great Christian message. The pacing pulled me into the story from the beginning and kept me engaged until the end. 

 

Lori Fowler is one of the main characters. She has a crush on the new youth minister, and when she’s given the chance to clean the church part-time, she sees it as a way to become friends with him. Her character is sweet and innocent, and she is also a good friend to the recent addition at the quilt shop where she works during the day. 

 

Kenzie is a young woman who left her Amish roots during her rumspringa because she discovered a different path for her faith. While working on a new rug from scraps of discarded clothing, Kenzie finds an engagement ring in the pocket of a pair of jeans. This ring becomes an intricate part of the plot. I enjoyed her character a great deal and loved her gentle influence on Lori.

 

Jase Edgar is the new youth minister. He lost his sweetheart in a car crash and is looking for a fresh start, which he finds with his new position. I truly enjoyed his character as he works with the teens at the church. He accepts Lori’s hand of friendship and looks beyond her physical appearance to the beautiful soul hidden inside her.

 

Ms. Sawyer brings out several difficult topics involving a troubled teen Jase counsels, Lori’s body image issues, her compulsive relationship with food, and her estrangement with her family. Kenzie’s guilt over leaving her Amish family that she hasn’t seen them for years. There’s a strong message of Christ’s acceptance and love woven into this soul-searching tale.

 

If you enjoy Christian fiction with characters that will touch your heart, then you will love From This Momentas much as I did. Kim Vogel Sawyer is an amazing author, and this novel is one I would read again. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer is a wife, mother, gramma, chocolate-lover, cat-petter, and--most importantly--a daughter of the King! With more than 1.5 million books in print in seven different languages, Kim enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Her "gentle stories of hope" are loved by readers and reviewers alike. Kim and her retired military husband, Don, reside on the plains of Kansas, the setting for many of her novels.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://kimvogelsawyer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimVogelSawyer.Author.Speaker/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimvogelsawyer?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kim_vogel_sawyer/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimvogelsawyer/boards/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kim-vogel-sawyer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/236089.Kim_Vogel_Sawyer

 

 

Book Review with Featured Author: I Was Called Barabbas by M.D. House

I was Called Barabbas by M.D. House

 

 

Publisher & Release: Self-Published, September 25,2019

Time and setting:  Ancient Times, The Holy Land

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Length: 221 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

We know precious little of the man called Barabbas, a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth. He is variously described in the historical record as thief, murderer, rebel, and notable Roman prisoner. His release by the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate was part of the supernal plan for the Christ to offer himself as the ultimate blood sacrifice, but it’s doubtful Barabbas understood any of that at the time.

Many have wondered what became of him, or rather, who he became after that fateful day. Someday we will know the answer, but in the meantime we can imagine that, like all of us, he too sought a path of personal redemption, imperfectly.

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Was-Called-Barabbas-M-D-House-ebook

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-was-called-barabbas-md-house

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52540741-i-was-called-barabbas

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the author for the complimentary copy of I Was Called Barabbas by M.D. House. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.

 

I Was Called Barabbas is novel about  the thief and murderer Pontius Pilate released instead of Jesus Christ. This is a fictional depiction and is not based on Barabbas’ life. I found the story fascinating, and the pacing pulled me in from the beginning and kept me enmeshed until the end.

 

Barabbas is a Jew who lived in Jesus’ time. After he’s released, he flees and roams place to place until he finally returns to his home. He weds the young woman he loves and uses his skills as  tent maker to support his family. His wife is part of the people who believe Jesus is the son of God and that he died and rose from the dead. She is part of the community who follow the apostles of Jesus.

 

Barabbas has a belief system, but he is sure he can never be forgiven for his sins. He longs for the peace his wife has, but knows he can never have it. As the story progresses, he helps the Christians several times. This is a story of redemption and conversion. 

 

If you enjoy Christian Historical fiction with an amazing conversion story and characters who will touch your soul, then you will love I Was Called Barabbas as much as I did. I’m so glad I agreed to read this incredible novel. Happy reading! 

 

Author Bio:

 

MICHAEL HOUSE is the author of I Was Called Barabbas and Patriot Star. Before beginning his second career as a writer, he worked for twenty-five years in the world of corporate finance, strategic planning, and business development. Now, Michael lives in Utah with his wife, where he spends his time writing and enjoying his children and grandchildren. Learn more about Michael and his work at www.mdhouselive.com.

 

PRAISE:

 

“A very interesting and fun read. Mr. House must have done a lot of research into the politics and history of the day to really make you feel like you were living at the time. Loved the character background and growth of the man we know very little about. The story really pulled me in and kept me guessing what would happen next. I’m already looking forward to the sequel!” 

 

-       Charles Whittington, Amazon reviewer

 

“The author has narrated a heart-wrenching tale of Barabbas rather beautifully. We are walking beside him throughout the story. His life was unpredictable, but it is what keeps him moving. I'm eagerly waiting for the next part.”

 

-       Amina Thajudeen, Goodreads reviewer

 

“A fascinating look into what the life of Barabbas, released in the place of Jesus, might have been like.”

 

-       Lisa Henson, Reedsy Discovery reviewer

Social Media:

Website: www.mdhouselive.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LiteraryThunder

Twitter: www.twitter.com/real_housemd

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6159412.M_D_House