Trouble in Store ~ A Book Review

   Trouble in Store, is the story of Melanie Ross, a young lady in 1880's America, who is left without family or friends. Her last resort is an Arizona mercantile that she has inherited from her uncle. However, upon arriving, she discovers that she has a business partner, Caleb Nelson, who is not at all excited to see her. She also discovers, that someone even more sinister, is determined to have her gone.

The Pros:
   This is a clean romance/adventure set in the "Wild West", complete with a damsel in distress, a dashing hero, and a cute little hero-in-training. The mystery portion was quite interesting, I thought. The author, even managed to throw me off the scent of the villain, several times, which definitely kept me turning pages.

The Cons:
   First of all, the heroine started getting on my nerves quite early in the story. Her spunk was admirable in some situations, but more often than not, her attitude came across as know-it-all. This also caused problems with dialogue, as half the book was she and Caleb arguing over something or other. Secondly, is seemed that the author was trying to make parallels between God leading Joseph in the Bible, and Him leading Melanie. However, this fell kind of flat for me, as she seemed to more often blaze on ahead by herself, instead of waiting on direction from God. Also, the romance portion, though clean and sweet, was pretty cookie-cutter.

In Conclusion:
   I give Trouble in Store, three out of five stars, for being a light, summer read, with an interesting mystery. However, I can think of several other stories that are equally as nice, without sacrificing a strong plot, or message.


*I received this book free, from Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.

Memorial Day Sale!

   Hello girls! I wanted to share with you all a great sale that is going on this Memorial Day weekend at Deborah and Co.  Everything in their store is 15% off when you use the code: MEMORIALDAY and they are offering free shipping within the United States on orders of $100.00 or more. The sale runs from May 24-27, and is a great opportunity to supplement your summer wardrobe with some modest, high-quality clothes! 

   Here is a sample of some of their adorable skirts, shirts and accessories: 

This is their sweet Blossom Top, in Coral. It is also 

available in Summer Green, and Patriot Blue.

Here is their adorable Belle Skirt.

 This is a pair of their super cute Rowan Earrings.

(They also have several other styles of earrings!)

  Hope to see you at the sale!!!

Sweet Sanctuary ~ A Book Review

     Now, before I begin this review, I must let you know that this book was an accident! I have developed a disdain for much of the modern Christian fiction that lines book-store shelves due to the fact that they are soooooo predictable. So, when I received the email with the available books for review, I was interested in the World War 2 setting of this book (for which I have a soft spot), just not interested to apply for it. So, I clicked on it, to see an extended synopsis, which was actually the way to apply. Oops! Well, I forgot about it, until it appeared in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago, and I was not very happy to see it. After reading the synopsis on the back, I could pretty much tell where the book was going, however it was now my job to read and review it. And may I say I was pleasantly surprised?

The Pros:
        "Sweet Sanctuary" is set in 1945, Boston and New York, and is about a young single mother, seeking to provide 'sanctuary' for Nicky, her young son, from his drug addicted father. However, she has a secret about Nicky, which could destroy that hope.
         Actually, this book is full of secrets that I didn't see coming! Though this sounds like a typical Christian romance book, I was shocked at every turn. Not only could I actually stand the heroine, I was also foiled at every attempt to predict the end of the story. Mrs. Sawyer was very consistent, in that dates, ages, and past occurrences, added up. Also, there is a strong theme of redemption woven throughout the story that was encouraging, and that grew my faith in our awesome God! I was pleased to discover that the main thrust of the book was not the romance, but God's work in the lives of each of the characters, and His power to save. All loose ends were tied up well, without being too neat. (I mean, how often in real life does every situation end perfectly?)

The Cons:
        The only thing I wish was added to this book was an Epilogue. By the end of the story I was dying to know what happened to the characters ten or so years down the road. Truly, that is the only con to this wonderful book!

In Conclusion:
        This book is a must read if you enjoy faith building Christian fiction. I give it five stars out of five, ( a very rare rating) and highly, highly recommend it!!!

*I received this book free, in exchange for my honest review, which I believe that I have given.*