Undenaibly Yours by Becky Wade

Title:  Undeniably Yours

Author:  Becky Wade

Pages:  378

Year:  2013

Publisher:  Bethany House

                Meg Cole can’t take it anymore!  She is under so much stress trying to learn her family’s oil business after her father’s death three months ago that she is having recurrent panic attacks.  To deal with these attacks she tries breathing techniques, Sudoku puzzles and calling on God to come to her.  She soon notices that she feels very calm being near Bo Porter, her father’s horse farm manager.  She has a light bulb moment and realizes God is working through His Spirit, using Bo to calm her.  But Meg is his boss so how can she keep her anxiety at bay through being with him and have him not get the wrong idea that she is interested in him, even though she really is smitten with him?

Bo has only known Meg for a short period of time, a matter of hours actually, and he chooses to be her ally and protector because he sees through the chic businesswoman to the vulnerable woman beneath.  He knows they can only have a professional relationship, right?  His head listens, but his heart is having trouble processing that.  Besides, in six months, Meg is closing the horse farm on the advice of her financial managers and he will be out of a job and out of her life.

                There is a very funny scene when Meg and Bo volunteer to babysit an 18-month-old for an afternoon and evening.  I laughed out loud at this one!  Some bargaining goes on that day and Meg agrees to two riding lessons with Bo.  Her father tried to teach her when she was a little girl and the first lesson she fell off the horse.  She hasn’t liked horses since.  Will she keep her end of the bargain and go through with the riding lessons?  The more time they spend together the more they care for one another.  Will either of them be willing to cross the employer/employee boundary?  Does Bo really care for her or is he manipulating her in order to change her mind about closing the horse farm?

                There are other facets to the story, so I’ll let the reader find out what else happens.  This is an easy, relaxing read that flows well.  The pages turn quickly and the chapters are not too long.  This will be a great summer romance to read while sitting by the pool.  It was neat to see someone with such a sensitive and tender heart who had been used so treacherously in the past, trust in God and overcome her some of her biggest fears.  God truly wants us to trust Him in all things.

My rating is 4 stars.

Note:  I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book.  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.  Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ .  Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Undeniably Yours Bethany House Publishers (May 1, 2013) by Becky Wade

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.

Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. Her first contemporary Christian romance, My Stubborn Heart, has been named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award. Her newest release, Undeniably Yours, is available now.

These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Meg Cole's father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted--more interested in art than in oil--she's forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father's empire.

The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father's thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.

Bo's determined to resent the woman who's decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them--her wealth, his unworthiness, her family's outrage--and earn the right to love her.

But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their love--and their belief that God can work through every circumstance--survive?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Undeniably Yours, go HERE.

Magnificent Malevolence

Title:  Magnificent Malevolence

Author:  Derek Wilson

Pages:  239

Year:  2013

Publisher:   Lion Fiction

                Crumblewit is the main character in this darkly humorous story subtitled, Memoirs of a Career in Hell.  He has been inducted into the S.O.D., aka sons of darkness, due to his success tempting and deceiving humans.  The account is told from the first person point of view of Crumblewit.  Each chapter is dated for the reader’s benefit as Crumblewit doesn’t keep track of time.  Readers are treated to events from Crumblewit’s past via flashbacks.  These events are like a training manual for the new demon just arriving in Hell.  God is given the title of “unmentionable one” or “the enemy” and never referred to by name.

                The story is filled with sarcasm and irony, but underlying the various funny comments, characters and situations there is truth to be found.  One of Crumblewit’s favorite techniques to deceive humans is the mnemonics used to convince them that the Bible is Old-fashioned, Illogical and Laughable—OIL.  How true is this today?  I know people who say they are Christians that hold to this viewpoint and are being led astray.  Another very effective strategy demons use is to get Christians involved in “busyness” to keep them too busy to pray, read their Bibles, etc…  Again, I see this happen frequently among church members.  Crumblewit is a member of the SSS 666 research team and one of the areas they dedicate their time to explore is “religion”.  During their research, they discover the many ways Christians can be turned from their faith by becoming absorbed in peripheral matters such as minor doctrinal issues, differing philosophies or how people dress.  This is an ongoing struggle as well with many churches.  I’m not criticizing as I am far from perfect; I’m just trying to point out some truths the author brought to my attention.  Maybe these truths or others from the book will make readers stop and think about their own walk with the Lord.

There is a hilarious argument between a liberal theologian and an atheist whose souls are trapped down below.  There are many other funny characters included in the tale that are used to provide more fodder for Crumblewit’s humor.  The characterizations and comments about those in the media are spot on.

This book is definitely worth reading.  I enjoyed the humorous aspect as well as the historical accounts of how Satan and his demons have constantly been at war with God and how various battles of this war have shown up on earth, affecting the human race.  The battles are still going on every day; however, I’m thankful God has won the war!  This story really made me think and give a few out loud comments agreeing with the author’s take on the devil’s schemes.  I had a smile on my face while reading many portions of the story and some laugh out loud moments.  My only negative comment is the type was too small, but other than that, the book is surely a keeper.

My rating is 5 stars.

Note:  I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book.  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.  Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ .  Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457

Review: Follow the Heart

Title:  Follow the Heart

Author:  Kaye Dacus

Pages:  298

Year:  2013

Publisher:  B&H Publishing Group

                Kate Dearing and her brother, Christopher, are given only one instruction from their father when they leave Philadelphia for England…marry for money.  Both siblings must marry someone of wealth to save the family they are leaving behind.  Their father has invested unwisely and lost all his money.  In a last ditch effort to avoid selling his home and letting everyone know they are destitute, he sends his two oldest children, Kate 27 years old and Christopher 24 years old, to live with their uncle, a baron in England.  The Great Exhibition of 1851 is being assembled as they arrive, but their uncle fears for their safety and advises them not to attend.  Christopher is disappointed as he is very interested in the Industrial Revolution.  He is a railroad lawyer and figures if he can’t marry for money, maybe he can marry for love and work to support himself and his bride.

                Once on English soil, the siblings soon fall in love with people completely below their social station in society’s eyes.  Kate is “on the shelf”, and with no dowry can’t be picky if any aristocratic gentleman offers for her hand in marriage.  Her uncle hosts a month-long house party, inviting eligible men for her to choose from and eligible ladies for Christopher to do the same.  Kate immediately finds herself the focus of a 40-year-old bachelor, who is a viscount.  Is he an answer to her prayer?  He is kind and attentive, but he doesn’t love her and she doesn’t love him.  Respect and admiration are enough to base a marriage on, right?  Kate’s heart belongs to the garden architect, Andrew Lawton.  He loves her, but will that be enough?  He can’t provide for Kate in the manner she is accustomed to and his future employment is in question.

                The reader sees Kate learn, after much heartache, the value of praying to God and listening for His answer.  She had been praying, telling God what she wanted to happen and getting no answers from God.  I can sure relate to having done that before!  This served as a reminder to me to pray for God’s will to be done, not mine.  I would have liked a little more action and little less gardening to take place in the story.  I did like the dual love stories of the brother and sister taking place at the same time.  The pages turn quickly and this makes for a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or two.

My rating is 3 stars.

Note:  I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book.  The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.  Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ .  Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457