Diana Flowers Reviews 'Love's Awakening' By Laura Frantz

Love's Awakening

Love's Awakening by Laura Frantz

Revell Publishing, 2013

Reviewed by Diana Flowers

5 stars*****

(No Spoilers)

A Masterpiece Of A Novel!

Once again, author Laura Frantz has crafted a literary masterpiece that sweeps the reader along the banks of the weeping willow and poplar tree-lined Allegheny River—to the elegant surrounding plantations shrouded in secrecy, deceit, betrayal, and hidden passions.

The lovely Ellie Ballantyne decides it is high time to return to her family's plantation, New Hope, after spending time at a finishing school in Philadelphia. As she encounters a dangerous storm on her way home, who should offer to escort her home but the equally dangerous, Jack Turlock…the son of a wealthy whiskey magnate and sworn enemy to the Ballantyne family. As Ellie opens a school for girls, she finds herself traveling often to Jack's plantation, River Hill, to teach his 13 year old sister the fine art of becoming a lady.

Futile feelings begin to smolder between the two of them, as Ellie and Jack realize her family would never allow her to marry a Turlock…with their pro-slavery views and dealings in the whiskey industry. Ellie finds that things have changed at New Hope since she was away, discovering secrets that could endanger and destroy her entire family if discovered. As Jack prepares to leave River Hill to rid his heart and mind of Ellie Ballantyne forever, she receives crushing news concerning him, plunging her life into darkness and despair. Can she find love again with Daniel Cameron, a man who has been wooing her incessantly and surely more worthy of a Ballantyne?

Laura Frantz has done it again! She is truly a master storyteller who interweaves as many twists and turns in her stories as the Allegheny River. I was mesmerized as this story played out and although Jack Turlock was terribly and decidedly brooding, I instantly fell in love with him…as I do with all of Ms. Frantz's handsome heroes! This author is absolutely the best at creating romantic tension and I found myself catching my breath more than once while reading. With a spellbinding historical plot, this is one award-worthy, beautifully written novel you won't soon forget!

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Thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book may be purchased through CBD, BAM, Amazon, and your local bookstore.

TWO GIVEAWAYS of paperback copies of Love’s Awakening!

Laura has graciously offered to give away a copy and OWG is also offering a copy!

Please be sure to leave an email addy for contact purposes.

Marian Baay reviews THE MERCIFUL SCAR by Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue

The Merciful Scar

THE MERCIFUL SCAR

By Rebecca St. James & Nancy Rue

Thomas Nelson, 2013

Reviewed by Marian Baay

~5 stars~*****

When Kirsten was sixteen a tragedy happened to a family member and because of her guilt she started cutting herself to try to ease the pain inside of her.

Now she is twenty-three and is still struggling with pain deep inside her. One night, after a fight with her boyfriend, she wants to cut herself. She didn’t expect her boyfriend to return at the very moment she was cutting herself, and that things could get so dangerous. She ends up in a hospital psychiatric ward, because people believe she tried to kill herself.

A pastor from church stops by and tells her about Sister Frankie, an ex-nun, who takes girls like Kirsten under her care and ministers to them, so they can find healing at her ranch.

Kirsten knows nothing about ranching or sheep, but since she has no other options she decides to hear Sister Frankie out. Frankie is not the ‘sister’ she had expected to see—wearing jeans, boots and a baseball cap.  Kirsten decides to give it a chance and goes with Frankie to her ranch for 30 days.

As a fragile and skinny girl, Kirsten finds ranch work heavy, but after some time she is learning and getting stronger. She also finds new friends and favorite animals to care for.

Frankie is like a mentor to Kirsten and she encourages her to listen to God’s voice. With Sister Frankie’s loving care and spiritual guidance, slowly understanding the things that haunt her will dawn and healing can begin.

Even Sister Frankie’s handsome nephew, Andy, seems to have ghosts from his past haunting him. A sweet friendship blooms between Andy and Kirsten and together they try to find healing from the scars of the past.

A touching story about a young woman who couldn’t carry her guilt on her own. She tried to relieve some of the hurt by cutting herself, but finally found healing in the most unexpected place. The reader will often be reminded of Psalm 23 throughout the book—The Lord is my Shepherd.

The authors captured the emotional aspect of the story very well and the tough subject was also made easily comprehensible for Young Adult readers.

Find Nancy's books at Amazon, CBD, B&N, DeeperShopping, and other bookstores.

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GIVEAWAY:  This week we will be giving away readers choice of ANY of Nancy's many books, choice of format. International winners ebook only unless the book is available on the Book Depository.

Leave a comment and your email address to be entered in the contest.

Interview with Nancy Rue – Overcoming Depression

Nancy Rue

Nancy  Rue is the co-author of The Merciful Scar, written with Rebecca St. James.

Nancy, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

It’s an honor to be asked.

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help? 

I would have to say my struggle with clinical depression. I’ve been through a lot of loss of loved ones and have had some physical issues myself, but the mental challenge has been the most difficult to deal with and heal from. It’s largely under control now, but daily I, first of all, thank God for both medication and deep spiritual healing, and secondly, stay conscious of my thoughts and how they can lead me into trouble! The loss of perspective that comes with depression can be frightening and I have to say that having lived through a number of episodes, I am closer to God and get my perspective from him. 

(CFP: PTL that you are doing well, Nancy. Thank you for sharing. This is a relatively common disorder but few people talk about it. Somewhere near 10% of the general population suffers from it at any given time.)

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print?  

All of my adult novels before The Merciful Scar are available as audio books: the three Sullivan Crisp novels (Healing Stones, Healing Waters, and Healing Sands) and the three Reluctant Prophet novels (The Reluctant Prophet, Unexpected Dismounts, and Too Far To Say Far Enough). Since Thomas Nelson, the publisher of this most recent book, traditionally produces an audio version, it’s safe to assume they will for The Merciful Scar as well. My father was blind for several years before he died, and in those days (the 60’s) he had what were known as “Talking Books” – read on vinyl records. I would sit with him for hours listening; in fact, that was my first “reading” of Pride and Prejudice.  All that to say, I am a great supporter of audio books.    

(CFP: My daughter and I LOVED all of Nancy Rue's books for young people. We'd read and re-read them.  I've also read the books on history with my son, who is a history buff.)

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

Absolutely. The presenting problem for the protagonist, Kirsten, is self-injury, also known as “cutting.” The story is actually about her healing, not simply to stop hurting herself, but to understand why she feels the need to cut into her flesh, and what the healing power of God is truly about. Another character in the book suffers from Post Traumatic Stress after serving two tours in Afghanistan (a young woman). A third, a young man, is becoming present to repressed memories. All three of them are under the care of a spiritual mentor who asks them the right questions and presents them with the opportunities to find God and thus their healing. A great deal of research went into this book, and Rebecca and I feel that it is not only relevant but accurate. Actually, all of my books are what I would call therapeutic. The Bible is always there. The mentor is always there. And God is always there. 

Thank you, Nancy, for agreeing to answer these questions.  Have a blessed day and keep on writing!!

That’s my plan! And thank YOU.

GIVEAWAY:  This week we will be giving away readers choice of ANY of Nancy's many books, choice of format. International winners ebook only unless the book is available on the Book Depository.

Noela Nancarrow reviews 'THE LEGACY OF DEER RUN' by Elaine Marie Cooper

The Legacy of Deer Run

The Legacy of Deer Run

(The Deer Run Saga – Book 3)

By Elaine Marie Cooper

Sword of the Spirit Publishing (May 6, 2012)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

~5 Stars~ *****

An Outstanding Finale to an Exemplary Series

In The Legacy of Deer Run, we read the final story of the Deer Run Saga, written in Elaine Cooper’s indomitably exquisite style that I’ve come to love immensely throughout this series.  This third book doesn’t lack any of the charm from the first two and is just as compelling from the very beginning to the crowning end.

The story takes up again in the year 1800. Daniel and Mary Lowe’s twins James and Danny are now 21 years old, but already are facing the devastating hurt of the loss of a loved one. James’ young wife, Anne has only just passed away while giving birth to his daughter. While standing at the gravesite for the burial, Danny’s heart breaks for his twin brother’s overwhelming loss. Unfortunately Danny has to leave shortly after the funeral to return to Springfield to his job at the Armory. As he gallops toward Springfield upon his rented mare, he feels a rage surging through him while contemplating the losses felt so keenly with himself with his first love four years ago, and now with his brother. He wonders if there might be any truth in the gossiping woman’s remarks at the funeral. Could there really be a curse on the Lowe family because of his father’s past as an enemy soldier? Not wanting to take any more chances, Danny makes the tragic decision never to marry.

Susannah Dobbins grief-stricken father has brought her along with him to Springfield from their home of Boston, after his wife had passed away. Susannah is angry about the move and having to leave her friends and life behind. She looks down upon the workers of the Armory, regarding them as of a lower station than herself. So how will she handle the attraction that she feels when she meets Danny, especially when circumstances paint him as a drunkard and a rogue?

At the armory where Danny works, there are enemy spies that bring much danger and destruction. Can Danny come through this unscathed? Who will survive and who were the traitors that attacked right where America’s defenses were being forged?

This wonderful saga covers the whole of the endearing Lowe family we’ve come to love, therefore we also read about James and Danny’s sister, Polly, and a painful situation concerning her parents and the man she’s fallen in love with. Surrounding these circumstances are some of the most heart-rending scenes played out in this story. Polly’s father Daniel is shaken to the core, so is he going to be able to find the forgiveness and the trust needed in this situation?

I’m saddened that this series has drawn to a close, but I have to applaud the author for bringing such a historically rich, spiritually inspiring, and hugely entertaining story and series to her readers. ‘The Legacy of Deer Run’ embraces important issues such as the need for forgiveness and reconciliation, prejudices and judging, deception and bad choices. And in conclusion, let me just say, Elaine Marie Cooper knows how to write romance! You’ll be powerless to prevent yourself smiling from the enjoyable and playful banter between the couples nor stop your heart from fluttering as you lose yourself in the deep love shared betwixt with these warm and loving characters.

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This book may be purchased through Amazon, CBD, Deeper Shopping, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookshop.

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GIVEAWAY: This week, Elaine will be giving away one each of the Deer Run Saga books to three winning recipients from the reviews featured this week. (Limited to USA winners)

Overcoming With God will also be giving away a copy of winner's choice of Elaine's books in e-book format. (Open to International winners)

Question: Have you gone through a challenging experience that you’ve been able to turn into something positive?

Teresa Mathews Reviews 'THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN' by Elaine Cooper

The Promise of Deer Run

The Promise of Deer Run

by Elaine Marie Cooper

iUniverse Publishing

Reviewed by Teresa S Mathews

5 Stars*****

In this stirring story set in 1790 America, we meet Nathaniel Stearns, a young man of nineteen. Nathaniel has seen way too much horror in the three years since he left home to join the fight against England. When the cheer goes up that the war is over, instead of being relieved or elated Nathaniel stops to think about some of the horrors he has seen. The most shocking is the death of his best friend, who one minute was alive and well then the next taken down by the enemy's fire. The sight of that still haunts him in his dreams some nights. When his father Sergeant Benjamin Stearns asks him to leave immediately for home, Nathaniel is more than excited to do so. His Father promises to follow as soon as possible.

When Nathaniel arrives back in Deer Run, he is shocked to find his mother and siblings are not there to greet him. It seems while he and his father were fighting a war his mother was home fighting to keep the farm going but after losing that battle and Nathaniel's younger brother she gives up and moves to Boston to live with her sister. After a quick visit to see his mother, Nathaniel goes home to Deer Run to await his Father's return; which seems is never going to happen.

For eight long years Nathaniel struggles to keep the faith that his Father will one day come home. During those years he has learned it is better to stay to himself than face the people that think he is mad to still hold onto the hope that his Father will return. Not Sarah Thomsen, she tells him it is important for one to hold onto faith. Will Sarah be the one to help bring Nathaniel out of his self imposed exile?

If you are looking for a beautiful tale that will touch your heart as you read it, this is for you. Elaine Cooper knows how to use her pen as a tool to draw you into the story and keep you engaged until the end. She has taken a time in the history of America that was pivotal to our obtaining freedom from England and painted a moving story of what our forefathers had to endure for us to possess our freedom today. 

You can find this book at Amazon, and Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million

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GIVEAWAY: This week, Elaine will be giving away one each of the Deer Run Saga books to three winning recipients from the reviews featured this week. (Limited to USA winners) Overcoming With God will also be giving away a copy of winner's choice of Elaine's books in e-book format. (Open to International winners)

Noela Nancarrow reviews 'THE ROAD TO DEER RUN' by Elaine Marie Cooper

The Road to Deer Run

The Road To Deer Run

By Elaine MarieCooper

iUniverse (April 5, 2010)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

5 Stars *****

A Classic Story!

The Road to Deer Run, I believe, is destined to become a classic – it is a charming and exciting tale of the highest quality and with timeless appeal, and displays a gentle but passionate expression of life, love, and truth! This is an incredibly beautiful love story inspired by the true events of a young British soldier’s escape during the Revolutionary War and of the young woman who brought him back from the brink of death.  

It’s 1777 and the young British lieutenant Daniel Lowe is in a long line of starving, wounded and exhausted POW’s marching to Boston, which was still a patriot stronghold. It was when they were on the road to Deer Run that Daniel sees his chance to make his escape.  Shouts of ‘prisoner escaping’ and the sound of musket fire and whistling of lead following him, Daniel sprints for his life, but with an appalling and badly infected wound in his thigh, the lieutenant’s leg finally gives way.

Mary Thomsen, a young farmwoman barely nineteen, comes across the nearly dead body of Daniel Lowe while out gathering leaves and sticks. She is shocked to see that this haggard and terribly injured body belonged to a Redcoat soldier, albeit minus his redcoat. Ever since she’d heard her beloved younger brother Asa had been killed in battle Mary has been despondent and upset. She is now confronted with a soldier of the enemy that took her brother’s life. Feeling torn, she needs to make a choice of whether she is able to help this wounded man.

This vividly written journey of Daniel and Mary is one of courage, hardship and endurance.  Daniel Lowe, a man on enemy soil, experiences frequent fear, difficult conflicts and uncertainty about his future, but the only thing Daniel discovers he really needs, is to be with the woman that saved his life. But will Widow Thomsen, Mary’s mother, accept the man that represents the people who killed her 16 year old son into her home or into her daughter’s life? Not to mention the great danger he would put them all in should the villagers find out he was a King’s soldier?

The fascinating and compelling history that flows throughout this novel has stayed true to the times and lends an aura of authenticity in the story as you read about colonial medical practices, clothes, food, homes and farming of the 18th century. Some things have never changed through the times however and these elements of life and human nature such as trauma, sickness and disease, fear, longing and love, will always be present.

The Road to Deer Run is sweet and tender, yet filled with passion. It’s also exciting and fast-paced, brimming with drama and danger. The characters are realistic with many working their way into your heart with their charming and delightful personalities. This memorable story has surprises around every corner but flows smoothly throughout, drawing you in from the beginning and not letting you go until long after you’ve finished.

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This book may be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore.

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GIVEAWAYS: This week, Elaine will be giving away one each of the Deer Run Saga to three recipients from the reviews featured this week. (Limited to USA winners.)

Overcoming With God will also be giving away a copy of winner's choice of Elaine's books in e-book format. (Open to International winners.)

Noela Nancarrow reviews FIELDS OF THE FATHERLESS by Elaine Marie Cooper

Fields of the Fatherless

Fields of the Fatherless

by Elaine Marie Cooper

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolina's (Oct 24, 2013)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

5 Stars *****

History Comes Alive

History is bursting with stories to be told, but oftentimes some are overlooked that cry out to be shared. This is one of them. You don’t just read this story however; you are immediately transported back to 1775 to the small village of Menotomy in Massachusetts - only three months before the American Revolution. With every fibre of your being, you’ll feel the fear of the rumblings of war, watch with trepidation the ominous preparations, and when the incoming troops ride past, your heart will pound along with the thundering of the horse’s hooves. Nothing can properly prepare you though, for the assault of gunfire, the boom of the cannons, or the tortured cries of the wounded.

This is the compelling story of Miss Elizabeth Russell (Betsy), an eighteen year old woman and the only daughter of Jason and Elizabeth Russell.  When the war becomes imminent, her father instructs her to trust in God and do all she can to protect the family should he be unable to be there for them, but when he hugs her more tightly than he has ever done before, fear surges through her. What would it be like for a young woman to go through a horrific war right on her doorstep, to see and hear things she should never have been exposed to, all at a time in her life when she should be thinking about pleasant things like courting? At the beginning of each chapter, Betsy shares her journal entry of her innermost thoughts and of scripture verses that have been a comfort to her that day. These precede the chapter as a foretaste of the chapter’s essence which I found to be a poignant introduction to each one.

While the men of the area were employing their weapons to defend their rights and freedom, and facing a horror all of their own, this story is very much about the women and children that carried on their own battle against often overwhelming fears. Fear of the approaching war, of the safety of loved ones called to fight, of being discovered by the King’s soldier’s, and fear of the harrowing sounds of war; these were just some of the unsettling terrors that plagued Betsy, and the other women and children. God will use even the direst of circumstances, and Betsy learned much from her experiences, some of which she could never have imagined she’d be in. I couldn’t help but put myself in many of those same situations, and contemplating how I would have reacted.

‘Fields of the Fatherless’ is based on genuine events and people, with the author Elaine Marie Cooper keeping the real history intact as much as possible in this novel. Elaine has written this powerful story with integrity and conviction, but containing a rich eloquence that will stir your heart as evident in this quote, “The tears she kept prisoner in her heart threatened to escape her jail of restraint. Once one prisoner broke out, a flood of mourning would surely follow. She tightened her jaw and sniffed. No tears would bypass the barred doors of her tenacity.”

Your emotions will tear at your heart while reading this amazing story, opening it to empathy, forgiveness, and love, which will linger in your thoughts and heart long after you reach the end!

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An ARC was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book may be purchased through Amazon or your local bookstore.

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GIVEAWAYS:  This week, Elaine will be giving away one each of the Deer Run Saga books to three winning recipients from the reviews featured this week. (Limited to USA winners)

Overcoming With God will also be giving away a copy of winner's choice of Elaine's books in e-book format. (Open to International winners)

QUESTION: What brings fear into your heart and what have you discovered helps you to manage those fears?