(Starry Nights is an anthology of four contemporary romances. I am only reviewing one in this blog.)
About the Book
Title: Out of Play, part of Starry Nights anthology
Author: Angela Ruth Strong
Publisher: Two Dogs Publishing, LLC
Released: June, 2024
Out of Play – Angela Ruth Strong When single mom Bex Lemaire is asked to step down as her eight-year-old daughter’s soccer coach for getting too competitive, she’s hoping the new coach will let her assist. Former child star Skylar Hayes agrees to take over the team as research for his comeback role. At first, he mistakes Bex for a raving fan but eventually realizes she’s only crazy about soccer, which gives her the skills needed to train him. She’s all work, while he likes to play, but together, they just might win.
About the Author
Angela Ruth Strong sold her first romance novel in 2009, and her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been a finalist for the Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky released as a movie in 2022. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she blogs for Inspy Romance and My Book Therapy. Get to know her even better at http://www.angelaruthstrong.com.
My Impressions
“I’ll coach Skylar so I can coach the Ladybugs back to victory. This will only benefit my dream of someday coaching Mia’s college team. Maybe even her professional team. While I’m dreaming, why not the World Cup?”
This promising anthology is kicked off by Angela Ruth Strong’s novel, “Out of Play,” the one I pre-read. While the novel is about an intense soccer mom coach( Bex Lemaire) living vicariously through her 8-year-old-daughter, Mia, there is so much hilarity it’s dangerous. For example, here are my first thoughts as I started Out of Play. (By the way. I was worried because it focuses heavily on a sport and I am not a sports fan. I needn’t have worried!!)
Oh, my goodness! I just started “Out of Play” by Angela Ruth Strong late tonight. I’ve been bursting out laughing loudly every couple seconds. Guess my honey won’t want me reading this on the car trip tomorrow!! We’d like to get to our destination safely! Someone said, can’t you laugh quietly? Not when Strong’s humor is this good!! ( Bex has nicknames for all the other girls’ moms, her exaggerations are over-the-top, and she and the other protagonist, child-actor Skylar Hayes, have no idea about the other’s notoriety.) If that doesn’t make for a barrel or two of laughs!!
There are also some very solid, faith-based messages imbedded in the story. Bex is not allowed to coach Mia’s soccer team this summer because she broke too many rules last season. So, Mia’s best friend’s uncle, Skylar, is roped into coaching the team, although he knows nothing about soccer. Bex finagles her way into becoming his assistant coach. A push-me-pull-you coaching relationship ensues, and so does a reluctant friendship and God’s refining. Slowly, but surely. “She isn’t interested in me or my autograph after all. She’s simply this excited about soccer. I’m an idiot with a huge ego.”– [ Skylar] As Bex hears Skylar’s story, she begins to understand why Skylar might have made mistakes, “Though does anyone make mistakes from a place of fulfillment?” Skylar goes on to add these important thoughts: “When I yelled, ‘Why did you make me unlovable?’ I immediately heard the words to Jesus Loves Me in my head.” Bex, on her part, has a lot of rethinking to do about her own attitudes as the story moves through practices and some intense and surprising games. How has her background shaped or misshaped her? Can she and Skylar both allow God to fill them with His love and gratitude, so they can give to others out of a place of fullness, rather than trying to give out of an empty heart? I love this, because this is something we can all check our attitudes against!
Some twists really caught me off guard. Others just made me lol! I highly recommend this book for its humor and for the character growth shown. Because we can all learn from the lessons Bex and Skylar learned.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher. I also purchased my own ecopy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s a pretty face except for the bump on bridge of her nose, which, in this case, reminds me of the horn on a charging rhino.”
“Bex. She may be crazy, but that’s a sign of not caring what others think. She’s doing what she loves because she loves it. We should all be so crazy.”
“My endorphins throw a party.”
“We’re not here to win. We’re here to have fun.”
“And I realize that for us to win, he and I are going to have to continue to play the roles of good coach/bad coach. He’ll be the fun one. Meanwhile, I’ll lead the team to another victory.”
“Skylar’s eyes lift from my nose to my gaze. They lighten from a bitter espresso to delicious mocha, and I turn away before drinking them in. Somehow, my skin still buzzes with his unique brand of caffeine.”
“But if I was going to blame God, then apparently I believe in Him, right?”
“I want to give my daughter all the good things in the world, but no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be enough. She’s going to have to rely on God to fulfill her emptiness too.”
“Crazy good works. It’s how I feel when I’m around her.”
“I lied because I didn’t feel like I’d had a choice, but the truth is that I had choices, I just didn’t like them.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! Guaranteed to make you laugh as you think about how you do life!
Genre: Women’s Contemporary/ Christian Romance/Family Life Fiction
Release Date: October 27, 2021
Just an ordinary morning for Sarah Sweeting—watching her favorite baking show, Cupcake Rivalry, getting ready for work at her Granny’s small-town bakery. All that changes when Sarah spots a contestant who looks like her, sounds like her, moves like her.
Was this her twin sister? The twin her mother ran away with twenty years ago? Were hers and Granny’s prayers finally being answered?
When Granny confirms Sarah’s shocking discovery, Granny suffers a heart attack.
Raven Souwer’s morning began at a frenzied pace—incessantly ringing phones and a Beverly Hills’ bakery full of customers. All because everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Cupcake Rivalry contestants—Raven and her best friend, Will Durning.
But a phone call from an excited woman who claims to be Raven’s long-lost sister—a sister Raven has no memory of—informs Raven that a grandmother she never knew was in the hospital.
The call changes the course of Raven’s life and brings up the pain she thought she’d overcome.
Will Sarah and Raven finally be united, or will other rivalries—like competing in a baking show—separate them again?
Award-winning author, YouTube personality, and speaker, Terri Gillespiewrites stories of faith and redemption. She has won best contemporary with the Lyra Awards, Rattler Contest, Golden Scroll, and placed in the Angel Book Awards.
Life is a journey. Terri lived in fear most of her life. Stories helped her see life through the lens of adventure and God’s abiding love. Those stories changed her life. They empowered her to be brave. She hopes hers will do the same for you.
She is the author of critically-acclaimed Making Eye Contact with God (now in its 15thyear), She Does Good Hair, CUT IT OUT!, Really Bad Hair Day, and Sweet Rivalry.
More from Terri
Where do stories come from? Oh, so many places. Sweet Rivalry began over ten years ago with an idea called the “cupcake sisters.” Two sisters who worked in a small hometown bakery trying to be true to family recipes and not get overrun by the food chains. Not much more than that. Boring, right?
The other day, I ran across my notes written years ago with other ideas for the sisters. No plot could carry an interesting enough story to get the creative juices going.
A dear friend—and amazing author—gave me a life-sized cupcake candle. The vibrant colors and glittery icing were meant to inspire me to develop the idea and write the book. It sat on my inspiration shelf for years.
At first every time I looked at it, I would smile.
But, as the years went by the sun faded the candle, as did my hope of finding the right story for the cupcake sisters.
Then, during COVID I got hooked on those reality shows about long-lost families being reunited after decades of separation. Some of the families had no idea the other family member existed.
Each episode meant a fist of soppy tissues. Yet, even with the dramatic music, professional editing, and big build-up, some families’ smiles didn’t quite reach their eyes.
I wondered, what happens to these people after the camera crews leave? After the emotional reunions, the drama and excitement subsides and reality settles into their respective homes? How do these people from very different histories become a family? Do they even try? Do they want to face the secrets that separated them?
Some of the “long-lost” family members were children of affairs. Most were children given up through adoption. Others abandoned. One man found his birth mother, only to learn he was the result of a rape. How do they navigate the choppy and complex psychological waters?
These interesting stories became delicious ingredients for the Sweet Rivalry novel. Twin sisters separated as toddlers by a troubled mother with addictions.
One sister, Sarah was raised by her loving, Christian grandmother who owned the local Sweet’s Bakery.
The other sister, Raven was raised by her using mother, in crack houses. Still, Raven manages to become a celebrated pastry chef.
How do twins with completely different childhoods become a family? How does the sister raised in a loving, stable, Christian environment form a relationship with the sister who has seen the worst of society and had to pull herself from a terrible background all on her own? Who now blames God for the horrific things that happened to her?
And a grandmother that hides a terrible secret?
Now, throw into the mix three handsome men vying for the twins’ affections, then bake with the emotional investments into the lives of these women, and you’ve got quite a recipe for a delectable story.
With humor, passion and delicious recipes, Sweet Rivalry will satisfy the hungry reader looking for a unique story of hope.
You know, Sweet Rivalry’s journey proved to me once again, that creativity can’t be forced, and GOD’s timing is always the best—even if it is a ten-year wait.
How about a recipe?
Raven’s Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes with Fritos Frosting
The Recipe That Almost Won the Cupcake Rivalry competition for Raven and Will.
Raven’s cupcake recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar packed
2 eggs room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Dr Pepper
½ cup buttermilk
Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting
4 cup powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
6 oz cream cheese softened
4 T Dr Pepper to taste
Original, Regular flavor Fritos (up to 1 cup)—Don’t use the scoop type
Instructions:
Raven’s Chocolate Dr Pepper Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350o F. Prepare 2-12 count muffin tins with cupcake cup liners (22-24 total).
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer and large bowl), add in butter, granulated and brown sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on low until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Keeping mixer speed on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the Dr Pepper.
Add the other half of the dry ingredients as well as the buttermilk. Mix until just combined—do not overmix. Batter should be thick and fluffy.
Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups 2/3 full. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to level the batter.
Bake cupcakes one batch at a time for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Place muffin tin on a wire cooling rack to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove cupcakes and allow to finish cooling on wire rack.
Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled before applying the frosting.
Will’s Fritos Cream Cheese Frosting
Use a clean stand mixer (or a hand-mixer & large bowl) on high speed beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.
Drop speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. May be clumpy at this stage—don’t worry.
Keeping speed on low, slowly beat in softened cream cheese. Will recommends cutting the cream cheese into 4-5 pieces and mixing in one piece at a time.
Finally, add in the Dr. Pepper. Now if you want more Dr. Pepper flavor, you can add more, and you can add up to a cup more of powdered sugar, but after that, you lose the great cream cheese flavor.
Finely ground ½ cup of Fritos. Almost as fine as coffee grounds. Fold in by hand into frosting.
Frost the cupcakes.
Remaining Fritos you can either roughly ground and sprinkled on top, or Will likes to leave one Frito curl nestled on top, right before serving.
Eat immediately—I mean, who would wait?
My Impressions
“Were the Sweeting family secrets about to be revealed? And if so … were either of the sisters ready to learn the truth?”
Having discovered her decades-lost sister while watching a cooking show competition, Sarah Sweeting thinks that life will suddenly be complete. Little does Sarah realize the deep emotional waters both she and her twin, Raven, will have to conquer to begin to form a worthwhile bond.
Gillespie takes an improbable premise and adds just the right amount of romance, family, angst, guilt, and longing to bring us a truly delightful and believable tale.
“What kind of person takes one kid and leaves another?” Sarah wonders why their mother left and didn’t take her. Raven wishes their mother hadn’t taken her when she left. Each envied the other and had trouble empathizing with the other’s emotional struggles. Will they get in their own way of family, or will other people or secrets undo any chance of them learning to bond?
A great novel, recommended! I received a copy through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Fave Notable Quotable:
“We keep trying to fix what only God can.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! Family struggles and romantic tensions make this a book not to miss!
To celebrate her tour, Terri is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of Sweet Rivalry, Cupcake Stickers, Sweet Rivalry bookmark, and a Hand-poured Cupcake Candle!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Christmas Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction
Release Date: November 21, 2023
Why didn’t her life get the memo regarding Christmas being about peace on Earth and goodwill to men?
For the first Christmas in years, Kimberley Saint John may actually get that peace on Earth she’s been dreaming of. Daddy has been sober for going on two years (a record), and if he stays that way, she might have a chance for a life of her own. Maybe even a family. And between you, her, and the fence post, she’d love it if that family included her childhood friend Jax Jenson and his kids.
Except he’s still mourning the loss of his wife.
Jax doesn’t understand why no one has snatched up sweet, beautiful, and funny Kim. Then again, the way she carries hurt and betrayal around like battle gear might have something to do with it. And he is not knight-in-shining-armor material. His wife could’ve told her that.
Kim’s dreams are shattered when Mama shows up, after a twenty-year absence, sending Kim into a tailspin of worry for her daddy. Desperate, she turns to the one man who gets her—Jax.
What will it take for Kim and Jax to untangle emotions that keep them from trusting in God’s sovereignty and find purpose through the pain?
Jennifer Sienesholds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.
Enjoy An Excerpt from the Book!
Why was it people made such a fuss over the holidays? Seemed to me, even if you had a perfect family, which I surely didn’t, it was still a crazy time when everyone one-upped each other. It was kind of like playing holiday poker. I’ll take your worries over how to seat twenty of your closest relatives and raise you one need to order a pre-cooked meal because I can’t even find time to shop. Of course, the shame of not having a homemade Thanksgiving supper raised the ante quite a bit, so I generally won.
Because Daddy and me would have a couple of kids with us this year, I vowed things would be different. I was even willing to shop, cook, and bake, which was the trifecta of disaster as far as I was concerned. I had nothing against shopping—it was part of my everyday life. Hunting down great deals on vintage furniture was in my job description. But food? Only as a source of survival. Spent too many years cooking for Daddy after Mama left us, and baking was downright messy and time consuming. I’d never be held up as a great example of a Southern lady. But I’d push through it for Nora and Chandler. And if I was going to be completely honest, maybe a little for their daddy, too.
Never could see myself with my own children. For one thing, though it might stretch the imagination of most to believe it, I was a traditionalist. Even if I hadn’t stepped foot into a church since I was fifteen, there was an order to life and love that shouldn’t be forsaken. Since I hadn’t been on a date for more months than I could count on both hands, it wasn’t likely I’d be getting married anytime soon. Might be my lack of culinary skills played into that some.
For another thing, I’d heard a couple of the older ladies in my apartment complex refer to me as a spinster. It would appear, unless God miraculously plopped Mr. Perfect-for-me on my doorstep this very day, I’d be too old to have kids even if I ever did get married. At thirty-five, I was already stretching the limits of my biological clock. Add to that a year or two of dating, then a proper engagement, and I might as well accept my lot in life—once I figured out what that was exactly.
My Impressions
“The real dream is the people we have in our lives, you know? And of course, the love of the Lord is the glue that holds it all together.”
Kimberley (Kim) has watched her life dream pass her by, as she has been her father’s support since his wife and her mother left when Kim was 15. Going to school, working, taking care of the house, and trying to keep track of her rarely sober father has exhausted Kim. She feels she has missed her life’s purpose, and anyone who tries to get close is shut out, until Jax, the last few years.
Jax is a close family friend, a widower, with two children who adore Kimberley.
Just when it seems Jax and Kimberley might take s chance on each other, major upheaval hits Kimberley’s life.
Many of Kimberley’s friends offer godly advice. Kim has just been starting to think about returning to her Heavenly Father. But now?
I loved this book for its southern flare mixed with simplicity. The faith challenges Kimberley and Jax face are very real. So much emotional trauma, balanced out by wonderful, healing humor. You won’t get very far before you are roaring out loud. One example: Jax says of his office full of women, all looking out for him, “had me more mamas than a blended family twice removed.”
I highly recommend Tangles and Tinsel by Jennifer Sienes if you want a contemporary Christmas romance chock-full of suppressed emotions that need healing and laughter that will help you remember the story for a long time to come.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“regret’s not gonna get you very far.”
“It was a powerful thing, being touched. For healing. For comfort. For loving.”
“Mistakes could be redeemed if we were willing to learn from them and let go.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! I really enjoyed this feel-good Christmas read
Trying to overcome a past like hers might just help him overcome his.
Alicia Gray wants one thing: to prove her capabilities as a doctor. Maybe then she can escape the feeling that her mother’s abandonment was deserved. She’s never felt worthy and grew up in foster home after foster home, always being told that if she did better, if she was more amenable, she’d find her place. When she came to Suamalie, the last thing she expected to find was a man whose grumpy personality conflicted so piercingly with her sunshine demeanor.
Colin Tremblay was dishonorably discharged from his army medic position and sent home in disgrace after his twin brother stole from his clinic. Back on the islands, he’s bounced from job to job, never finding anything that satisfies him. To make matters worse, his twin niece and nephew convince him to spend his summer overseeing their camp activities while working alongside Little Miss Sunshine herself.
This grumpy versus sunshine romance is sure to send them both scrambling when Colin confronts Alicia’s need to please while she reminds Colin that not every bad day is a reason to run for the hills.
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and started writing in 2015. When she’s not homeschooling her two boys, you’ll find her curled up with a book.
More from Tabitha
When it came time to write my Suamalie Island book, I knew it was time for me to head back to the place I love best. It was time to bring back the cowboys. Colin might not be a cowboy in his own mind, after all, he left the ranch and worked for years as an Army medic and wants nothing more than to help people as a way to make up for not being able to save his brother when he needed it most. Alicia, the island’s resident mobile doctor, feels the same way. You would think that these two would manage to get along since they both want the same thing. Not so. They disagreed on almost everything. From a personality perspective, they couldn’t be more different. Alicia is sunshine and rainbows to Colin’s storm clouds. The one thing they can agree on is helping others, and when things get tough, Colin is the one person who Alicia finds she can trust to follow through and not back down from the hard aspects life throws their way. And threaded through it all is Colin’s cowboy past and the heart that carried him across the battlefield and back to the islands he’s always called home.
My Impressions
“Was it wrong to be so agreeable? …to be a people pleaser?”
Or
“Alone again. By his own choice. That’s what he wanted, wasn’t it?”
Alicia Gray is a young doctor who has escaped her background, determinedly becoming the most reliable person around. And cheerful. Miss Sunshine. Surely nothing about such a sweet, young thing could be amiss.
Now mix in a meeting and close working proximity with Mr. Negative, Colin Tremblay. Angry at God over a past that has twisted his future into hopelessness, Colin refuses to get close to anyone, whether family, friends, or beautiful doctors like Alicia Gray.
“Sparks flew up and away, tiny pinpricks of flame drifting in the wind. He felt like one of those flickers. There and gone, completely unnoticed by most and disappearing without leaving a mark on the world.” Interesting that the same fire that spiraled Colin into a depressed state caused Alicia to worship God. “The infinite possibilities. The vastness and immeasurability. I get shivers just thinking about it.” Life is more about how we react to circumstances than the circumstances themselves. Colin has yet to learn this, and that He needs God’s perspective on his life.
I loved how Bouldin includes a kids’ summer camp, two eight-yr-old twins, first aid, and hiking in the novel. Plus plenty of horses! And enough hurts that only the true Healer can cure.
If you like the opposites attract trope, smiley vs. grumpy, emotionally hurting kids, a slow-burn romance, then Love Like No Other is a book for you to check out!
I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“He was good at that. Casting shadows. Everywhere he went, the darkness prevailed.”
“It’s part of who we are to love so deeply that we hope even when we know that all hope has left us.”
“God is the only one who’s never left me, who’s loved me unconditionally.”
“No human is flawless. We’re born broken and only one thing can save us.”
“God was the God of second chances.”
“To be needed might be the greatest gift of all.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! This novel resonated with me on several levels, which catapulted it into the “all the feels” category. People, finding their way, bumblingly, through life, finding Jesus to be the answer. Their life doesn’t get easier, but their attitudes change.
Falling in love with Benjamin wasn’t in the plan, but Mallory finds she’s all but lost her head and her heart after two and a half years of banter, memories, and now shared books.
But when her ex-fiance (does it count if it was just for a few hours?) shows up right in the middle of a writing project with Benjamin, the guy manages to ruin her happiness… again.
Benjamin has been keeping one tiny part of him back from Mallory–just the one thing that’ll repel her for good. So when the ex-boyfriend-slash-fiance shows up, and things look serious again, he takes a giant step back and prays he can keep his heart intact in the process.
They’re clearly meant for each other. God obviously has a plan. So what’s it going to take for Mallory and Benjamin to work things out and get those vows made?
This Breakers Head novel is Chautona Havig’s final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
“Say the hard things. Admit the faults, choose to make the sacrifices, step out in faith.”
A lady after my own heart, who loves books, coffee,( and other hot drinks) and loves to sell them together! Mallory Barrows is struggling to make her dream of a small bookmobile/ hot drink shop on the islands a reality. Now she has finally fallen for islander Benjamin Hornigold, a young friend of her beloved uncle Bud. Benjamin loves Mallory enough to do almost anything for her- except bare his soul of the secret that could separate them.
Chautona Havig invites us to slow down and return to life on Independence Islands, where Mallory Barrows is hoping for that big question from her true love, Benjamin. But deep-seated fears in both Mallory and Benjamin could overpower their love as a new threat or two lingers on the horizon. Will a joint project of love and some negative examples from the past be enough combined with faith and prayer to see these lovers united, or are they destined to a repeat their loved ones’ examples?
The quote at the top expresses one of the basic truths of the novel. So many to be gleaned from a Havig book. Another truth Havig’s characters are confronted with, one it took me years to learn, is this one:
“the Lord blesses our service however we offer it, but that doesn’t mean that every job is ours to do. He said sometimes we need to step aside because that frees up the work for the person the Lord has planned for it, and it frees us to do the work He has planned for us. I never saw it that way.” So happy Mallory and Benjamin could learn this early in life! It will save them a lot of frustration, thinking they are serving the Lord, when He may have other people better equipped for the job.
And Havig always makes me smile! “Is that what you get with a degree and success? A masters in rudeness?” This is especially potent as it applies to the characters’ situations.
Bottom line: if it’s a Havig novel you’re considering, buy it!! One read won’t do it justice. Considering the spiritual and wisdom value of this book, coupled with the entertainment value, I give it five stars!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“I plan to live the story in my heart. That’s how I best tell a story, lovey.”
“If the primary love of your life isn’t Jesus, you’ll fail the one you vow to love until death.”
‘…the lessons you learned don’t change based on the number of years you’ve been married. Truth is truth.’”
“But if you go through life as if everything you say and do is part of some checklist to godliness and marital bliss, you’ll miss out on the bold, daring life God has given us.”
“But I don’t think we should treat people like only their mistakes define them.”
“It will hurt. Change is just hard and it stinks. But sometimes we have to do the hard things.”
“Then a new character arrived on the scene. It walked over to guilt and elbowed guilt out of the way as if to say, “I’m determination, and I outrank you.’
“…every time you give in to those impulses, they become more frequent and more intense than the last. It’s harder to break the habit than it is to fight the temptation to let it form.’”
“You can’t fix it.”
… “But you can start fresh—like Anne Shirley—a new day with no mistakes in it.”
“His mercies,” Benjamin began. “‘They are new every morning.’”
About the Author
“Say the hard things. Admit the faults, choose to make the sacrifices, step out in faith.”
A lady after my own heart, who loves books, coffee,( and other hot drinks) and loves to sell them together! Mallory Barrows is struggling to make her dream of a small bookmobile/ hot drink shop on the islands a reality. Now she has finally fallen for islander Benjamin Hornigold, a young friend of her beloved uncle Bud. Benjamin loves Mallory enough to do almost anything for her- except bare his soul of the secret that could separate them.
Chautona Havig invites us to slow down and return to life on Independence Islands, where Mallory Barrows is hoping for that big question from her true love, Benjamin. But deep-seated fears in both Mallory and Benjamin could overpower their love as a new threat or two lingers on the horizon. Will a joint project of love and some negative examples from the past be enough combined with faith and prayer to see these lovers united, or are they destined to a repeat their loved ones’ examples?
The quote at the top expresses one of the basic truths of the novel. So many to be gleaned from a Havig book. Another truth Havig’s characters are confronted with, one it took me years to learn, is this one:
“the Lord blesses our service however we offer it, but that doesn’t mean that every job is ours to do. He said sometimes we need to step aside because that frees up the work for the person the Lord has planned for it, and it frees us to do the work He has planned for us. I never saw it that way.” So happy Mallory and Benjamin could learn this early in life! It will save them a lot of frustration, thinking they are serving the Lord, when He may have other people better equipped for the job.
And Havig always makes me smile! “Is that what you get with a degree and success? A masters in rudeness?” This is especially potent as it applies to the characters’ situations.
Bottom line: if it’s a Havig novel you’re considering, buy it!! One read won’t do it justice. Considering the spiritual and wisdom value of this book, coupled with the entertainment value, I give it five stars!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“I plan to live the story in my heart. That’s how I best tell a story, lovey.”
“If the primary love of your life isn’t Jesus, you’ll fail the one you vow to love until death.”
‘…the lessons you learned don’t change based on the number of years you’ve been married. Truth is truth.’”
“But if you go through life as if everything you say and do is part of some checklist to godliness and marital bliss, you’ll miss out on the bold, daring life God has given us.”
“But I don’t think we should treat people like only their mistakes define them.”
“It will hurt. Change is just hard and it stinks. But sometimes we have to do the hard things.”
“Then a new character arrived on the scene. It walked over to guilt and elbowed guilt out of the way as if to say, “I’m determination, and I outrank you.’
“…every time you give in to those impulses, they become more frequent and more intense than the last. It’s harder to break the habit than it is to fight the temptation to let it form.’”
“You can’t fix it.”
… “But you can start fresh—like Anne Shirley—a new day with no mistakes in it.”
“His mercies,” Benjamin began. “‘They are new every morning.’”
More from Chautona
It Happened AGAIN!
I remember the first book I had trouble finishing. Beneath the Cloak. It was the last book of the Wynnewood series, and I was dying to reveal the big secret that had been a big part of the story line. I spent hours writing very few words. Someone asked if I had writer’s block, but I didn’t. I knew every word I wanted to put on that page, but I kept procrastinating.
For weeks. We’re talking long, agonizing weeks.
Finally, I realized a significant part of why I hadn’t finished was because I didn’t want to. I didn’t want the series to end. Say goodbye to beloved characters? Agony, okay? I wanted to spend the rest of my life in Wynnewood seeing what happened with all the characters and all the things that would happen.
I just wanted to write a bunch of other books, too. What can I say? It’s a thing.
So, as I dove into writing the book I’ve been dying to write since I penned the opening scene of Christmas on Breakers Point, you’d think I’d have been prepared for the inevitable. I mean, it’s happened with several other series since that first time, so… yeah. All ready to combat the problem, right? Not hardly.
To be fair, I was also coming off being very sick, my mother being even sicker, so being crazy behind on everything. I mean, that had a lot to do with it taking so long to get going on it. But once I did, I’d type like crazy and then ignore it for a day or two before the story demanded more telling.
Then, just as I neared the big scene of Book, Chapter, & Vows… I went nuts on doing everything but finishing that book. No joke. I did. Sigh. Again, you think I’d learn.
After much soul searching and even more wailing at God about the cruelty of it all (I was in a dramatic mood, okay?), the solution came to me. Okay, God smacked me upside the head with a 2×4 of memories on how I solved every other, “don’t wanna finish this series” crisis.
See, way back with Wynnewood, the only thing that got me to the finish line was a promise I made to myself. “It doesn’t have to end here. You can write more if you want to. There’s nothing to say you can do ‘Wynnewood, the Later Years’ or something like that.”
Just that one promise to myself that I didn’t have to say goodbye was all it took for me to get back on that trusty old Toshiba laptop and pound out those last few chapters.
And here I was again, not ready to say goodbye to a series—to these islands that feel so crazy real to me. I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters and their quirky ways. Would you?
Now… you’re going to laugh at me. Go ahead. I mean, I did. See here’s the deal. I didn’t have to make that promise to myself again. “What?” you say? “What do you mean?”
Yeah. I don’t have to say goodbye to the characters or the islands. Why? Because we have another island series coming, the Suamalie Islands, and Mallory is going to visit those islands.
If that isn’t enough for me, I have another series all planned for the Independence Islands, too! Yeah. That. I mean, what was I not thinking?
As soon as I thought of that, I was able to get in there, get the last few scenes written and pass it off to the fabulous Christy for her editorial magic. As for me, I think I’m going to go play around just a little bit with one of the Josie Parker Mysteries. I mean, why not?
It Happened AGAIN!
I remember the first book I had trouble finishing. Beneath the Cloak. It was the last book of the Wynnewood series, and I was dying to reveal the big secret that had been a big part of the story line. I spent hours writing very few words. Someone asked if I had writer’s block, but I didn’t. I knew every word I wanted to put on that page, but I kept procrastinating.
For weeks. We’re talking long, agonizing weeks.
Finally, I realized a significant part of why I hadn’t finished was because I didn’t want to. I didn’t want the series to end. Say goodbye to beloved characters? Agony, okay? I wanted to spend the rest of my life in Wynnewood seeing what happened with all the characters and all the things that would happen.
I just wanted to write a bunch of other books, too. What can I say? It’s a thing.
So, as I dove into writing the book I’ve been dying to write since I penned the opening scene of Christmas on Breakers Point, you’d think I’d have been prepared for the inevitable. I mean, it’s happened with several other series since that first time, so… yeah. All ready to combat the problem, right? Not hardly.
To be fair, I was also coming off being very sick, my mother being even sicker, so being crazy behind on everything. I mean, that had a lot to do with it taking so long to get going on it. But once I did, I’d type like crazy and then ignore it for a day or two before the story demanded more telling.
Then, just as I neared the big scene of Book, Chapter, & Vows… I went nuts on doing everything but finishing that book. No joke. I did. Sigh. Again, you think I’d learn.
After much soul searching and even more wailing at God about the cruelty of it all (I was in a dramatic mood, okay?), the solution came to me. Okay, God smacked me upside the head with a 2×4 of memories on how I solved every other, “don’t wanna finish this series” crisis.
See, way back with Wynnewood, the only thing that got me to the finish line was a promise I made to myself. “It doesn’t have to end here. You can write more if you want to. There’s nothing to say you can do ‘Wynnewood, the Later Years’ or something like that.”
Just that one promise to myself that I didn’t have to say goodbye was all it took for me to get back on that trusty old Toshiba laptop and pound out those last few chapters.
And here I was again, not ready to say goodbye to a series—to these islands that feel so crazy real to me. I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters and their quirky ways. Would you?
Now… you’re going to laugh at me. Go ahead. I mean, I did. See here’s the deal. I didn’t have to make that promise to myself again. “What?” you say? “What do you mean?”
Yeah. I don’t have to say goodbye to the characters or the islands. Why? Because we have another island series coming, the Suamalie Islands, and Mallory is going to visit those islands.
If that isn’t enough for me, I have another series all planned for the Independence Islands, too! Yeah. That. I mean, what was I not thinking?
As soon as I thought of that, I was able to get in there, get the last few scenes written and pass it off to the fabulous Christy for her editorial magic. As for me, I think I’m going to go play around just a little bit with one of the Josie Parker Mysteries. I mean, why not?
A rushed lunch and a bold move introduce Carlie to a stranger—one who hardly acknowledges her existence as he sits across from her, sharing his booth to save her a wait in a long line. What began as a random encounter becomes a weekly date in which Carlie chatters about her life to a silent lunchmate. Much about him interests her–his slightly Euro fashion sense, his commitment to the work he does as he eats his lunch week after week, and his evident attention to the running monologue she shares between bites of meals that he inevitably pays for. Dean gets to know the woman across from him–looks forward to their lunches each week, learns valuable lessons about himself—but when the cafe is threatened, and then when she doesn’t show up one day, he suspects their unusual friendship means more to him than he imagined.
Settle into the booth with Carlie and Dean and learn just how eloquent silence really is.
“Every time you slip, just once, your mouth becomes a cesspool of linguistic garbage.”
Chautona Havig likes to set up unique premises for novels she then tackles as a challenge to turn into an interesting, faith-filled, and believable storyline. Yet, Corner Booth may be one of the most unusual ideas yet. Based on the Bible verse found in James 1:19, “…You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry,” Havig builds her romance around a young, verbose, theology professor and a beautiful retail clerk who has no true self-concept. Weekly lunch dates consists of the talkative prof being refusing to talk to his pretty lunch date, only listen, as she pours out details of her heart. I love the growth we see in both characters, Dean and Carlie, by the end of the book, but oy, the pain of getting there!!
My fave character is often a supporting character who contributes to the necessary changes in one of the main characters, and without whom the story would be incomplete. Larry is the winner of that category in this book. He is a keen observer, actually of both Dean and Carlie, he has great insight, patience, tact, and loves others despite knowing their flaws. Plus he speaks the truth in love.
I would encourage you to see how Ms. Havig can turn a book with such an unusual premise into a real-life, believable, truth-filled novel you’ll long remember! Oh, yes, if you like to laugh out loud and read witticisms, those are bonus givens in Havig’s works!!
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I received a copy of the book from the author and Celebrate Lit, plus I bought my own. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
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Notable Quotables:
“They can’t seem to comprehend why it’s important to base their beliefs on Scripture over conventional wisdom.”
“…the only thing separating jock from jerk is a vowel.”
“While feelings are real, they do not always reflect truth.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author of Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
More from Chautona
You know, originally, I had Dean as a guy who was too wrapped up in his own little world to care about anyone else—the stereotypical academic. I pictured him buried deep in original Biblical manuscripts, annoyed that anyone would dare to invade his study time.
But you know what? That’s the easycharacter.
When I went back to edit the book, I had this thought. What if Dean weren’t reclusive at all? What if he were kind of a know-it-all who couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself. Maybe a child prodigy who was used to people thinking him rather brilliant and looking for his insights.
Yeah… I could get into that.
There was just one small problem. I’d written the entire book without him talking much at all on those Wednesdays. Now what?
After much deliberation, even more prayer, and a bit of fudging, I came up with the solution. What if he just challenged himself for “one lunch?” Just one hour or so of not talking to prove to himself (and his peers) that he could do it.
How could he possibly know he’d set things up for months of wordless lunches—on his part? And what would a person learn in a situation like that?
I’ve never admitted this before, but I tested it a bit. At situations where I could, I forced myself to listen to people’s stories, their questions, their opinions. The hard part was not spending my listening time formulating my response (how rude anyway!). I really had to focus on exactly what they said, how their voice altered based on their emotions, and what others around us had to say to encourage (or not—too often not, I’ll admit).
I learned a lot with the experiment, and I’ll be honest. I still catch myself listening with an ear to how I’ll respond instead of really listening. No, I don’t expect to find some café romance for myself. My guy is amazing, and he’s probably the only person on the planet who could put up with me, so… I think I’ll keep him. But I do expect to keep learning how to really hear people. You know… kind of like Jesus did. Imagine that.
Genre: FICTION / CHRISTIAN / WOMENS FICTION / ROMANCE
Release date: July 8, 2021
♥ Books are the strings that tie hearts together. ♥
With a month to get from Orange County, California to Delaware for his next corporate challenge, Milton Coleridge decides to spend a week at Joshua Tree National Park.
He never expected to find a floundering bookstore in need of his particular business skills. Will his methods of saving companies from bankruptcy or takeover work on such a small scale? And can he convince two people to risk their hearts?
Step into the Spines & Leaves, Tamarisk, California’s oldest (and only ever) bookstore. Come in out of the harsh, desert sun and wind and peruse all the store has to offer. It might just be more than you think.
One man, one store, thousands of books. What’ll it take to keep this bookstore from becoming a book ghost town… and what’ll it take for Milton to tie two heartstrings together?
Spine & Leaves is the introductory novella to the Bookstrings series.
Whew!! Spines and Leaves by Chautona Havig is a not-to-be missed, fun ride involving a barely surviving, desert bookstore. The town of Tamarisk has almost nothing going for it, with several defunct stores and a few residences in the middle of Joshua Tree National Forest. But, wait! There’s a bookstore! Only a reader would understand how strong that pull is to Milton Coleridge as he enters with his parrotlet. We meet Mercedes, the daughter of the owner, who is managing the store until her ill father can get back on his feet. We see Marcus Mendez, a police officer who hides his feelings for Mercedes as he strives to protect his heart. We begin to see the makings of a love triangle between Marcus, Mercedes, and Milton.
Chautona Havig plays this triangle up well. I wanted to choose one man over the other, but couldn’t. Just as I would choose “Team Marcus” or “Team Milton,” the other would pull ahead by some act or word.
If you’ve never read Havig’s work before, this book is a good place to start. Havig brings her signature style with literature allusions, a touch of romance, plenty of snark and wit, faith lessons, and surprising twists that will keep you reading till the last word.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“‘Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?’”
“Just reminding myself that God’s goodness doesn’t disappear when things seem like they’re going all wrong.”
Mercedes’ heart sighed. I could have fallen for a guy like that… if stupid Marcus hadn’t been here first. Her head said she could choose to love whoever she wanted. Her heart stuck out its tongue and went, “Ptttthtt.” Heart won. Again.
Book people understand each other. There are special connections between bookworms that might exist between football fans or movie buffs, but I doubt it is the same.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! Book Lover’s Paradise- both the Story and the Store!!
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author of Aggie and Past Forwardseries, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
More from Chautona
The more I think about it, the more I realize that the Bookstrings series is a process rather than an idea. Each time I saw an indie bookstore close, each time I went in one with no one else in there for the hour or two I browsed, and each time I heard book lovers lament the lack of a store in their town… Yeah. Those experiences slowly grew into a wish—one where I knew how to rescue those stores from extinction. So maybe that’s a bit melodramatic, but that’s how it felt.
Somewhere in the midst of all that, Milton appeared—a business genius who, along with his faithful parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch), travels the country saving corporations from takeover or bankruptcy.
Milton went through several iterations. Older, balding, mustache, and always wearing a golfer’s cap. Then I had him as a young hipster dude who got sick of the rat race on Wall Street and took off on his own, using what he’d learned. That just felt too cliché.
Instead, I have a forty-ish guy who wears chinos and oxford shirts with topsiders, shorter than most men, and with a nonchalant air about him. And charm. The quiet guy with serious business skills just oozes quiet charm.
After deciding on Milton, I had to choose where to put the stores. I’ve been watching out for towns for years—using trips different places as research times. Would I create places that felt like real towns or use actual small towns? Though drawn to real towns, I had an idea for where to end the series, and, doing that meant a fictional town. Would it be weird to have four or five books set in small towns across America followed by a final fictional one?
The solution came to me as I learned that the Mosaic authors were doing a summer collection in 2021. If I started with a novella and ended the series with both in a fictional town, at least that fictional bit wouldn’t be out of the blue!
So, the Bookstrings series has two novellas and five full-length novels. (I couldn’t resist a Christmas “noella” in the charming town of Noel, Missouri—the “Christmas City.”) We’ll be off to other small towns around the country—one in Red Wing, Minnesota, another in Berne, Indiana, and one somewhere between Kingsport, Tennessee and Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina. If I can find a place in New England, that’d be great, too. Or maybe down in Mississippi… I’d love to visit my sister down there.
The Bookstrings series books all have one very important thing in common (aside from Milton and Atticus, of course). They all illustrate that books truly are the strings that tie hearts together.
It’s official: Brynna Phillips is done with men. They only break your heart. But just when she makes this declaration, her friend Jan convinces Brynna to join her on a camping vacation in Sonoma Wine Country. As they wind their way toward their destination, spanking-new mini camper in tow, Brynna recalls her teenage camp romance with a boy named Leroy. How can it have been nearly 30 years ago? All she remembers is that Leroy was a genuinely good guy and that his family owned a vineyard–in Sonoma. She doesn’t even remember his last name. Jan insists they look for him, and the search begins.
Beyond the slim chance they’d ever be able to find him are questions that have haunted Brynna for decades, including What is the point of digging up the past? and Can Leroy ever forgive me for losing touch?
Bestselling author Melody Carlson invites you on a trip to rediscover the carefree days of youth and, just maybe, to get a second chance at love.
My Impressions
If you’re looking for an easy-flowing, contemporary romance novel with a middle-age pair, Looking for Leroy by Melody Carlson deserves a read. The tone of this story made me smile and laugh.
Brynna is a divorced, elementary school teacher whose vice-principal invites her along on a summer camping trip out west. It is a trip that has the potential to change her life.
Leroy Sorrentino is the widowed vintner of a small California vineyard. Preparing to celebrate the historical longevity of the vineyard, two of his three grown daughters attempt to market and make Sorrentino’s profitable.
I liked the premise of the storyline and the predictable but realistic conflicts Carlson presents for her characters to overcome.
“Had he settled? Both in life and in marriage? He sometimes wondered.” This is a very sad, possibly tragic, thought for a person to have to ponder after it seems to late to make changes.
I also wondered if LeRoy were my friend, what advice I would give him about his love life. Each of his daughters certainly has an opinion! Some characters didn’t grow as much or as fast as I wanted them to. Honestly, people in real life are like that, though. We people don’t always grow as quickly and steadily forward as we should.
Sophie is my favorite character. She seems warm, accepting, able to see the best in others, and willing to forgive. Plus, she’s a hard worker!
I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads and NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Training dogs was much easier than training daughters.”
“Wisdom, understanding, knowledge. More than ever, she longed for those elusive qualities—because she felt foolish, confused, and just plain stupid.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great! Sweet Romance with Middle-Age Couple
About the Author
Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including Romantic Time’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at
With each page of the age-old journals, Annie discovers all that unites her with a woman who once lived in her farmhouse. One lived with wealth and one with poverty, but both knew captivity. Both longed to be free.
Miriam yearns to escape her life as a super model. She drops the pseudonym and uses the name she gave up years ago—Annie Gentry. Then she alters her appearance and moves to rural South Carolina to care for her grandmother. Can she live a simple life without recognition? Can she hide a net worth valued in the millions? Love is nowhere in her plans until she meets a man who wants nothing more than Annie Gentry and the simple life he lives.
Charlotte lived in the same farmhouse in the tumultuous 1860’s. The Civil War was over, but for a bi-racial girl, freedom remained elusive. She coveted a life where she wouldn’t bring shame to her family. A life where she could make a difference. As she experiences hope, will it be wrested from her?
The journals stop abruptly with a climactic event, leaving Annie to search for information. What happened to Charlotte? Did her life make a difference? Did she ever find freedom?
“But no one found me precious. One mother gave me away. The other used me for her purposes.” So laments Annie Gentry as she considers her past. Arms of Freedom by Kathleen Neely ties together Annie’s story and that of Charlotte, who lived in the same house 150 years before.
I really appreciated the forward. It warned of hard-to-read material and explained why author thought it important to highlight such a difficult time in our country’s past.
Even though Annie is a famous person hiding out incognito in small-town South Carolina, I found the story plausible and mesmerizing. The historical part presented by Charlotte’s diary helped me see how awful life could be for a non-white in the Reconstructionist South. How I cheered for both ladies, but especially for Charlotte, who learns how to stand strong. I love how the author finally connects the two separate stories with beautifully intertwining threads.
We get to meet some very pivotal secondary characters. Reverend Platt, Mrs. Pearson, Aunt Imani; plus Lillian, Darlene, and Seth. They all greatly influence either Charlotte or Annie regarding love, forgiveness, family, and belonging.
Part of the fun of reading a book like this was its setting. The author uses Greenville, South Carolina, as one nearby town, and I was thrilled to see references to the Liberty Bridge, the statue of Joel Poinsett, and “the Mice on Main.” I was also thrilled to find out what small town Hickory Falls is based on. Fun!
I discovered this last fact because of sections at the end of the book. There is a “where fact meets fiction” section and a reader’s guide with discussion questions.
I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
Heartbreaking portrayal of two women, centuries apart, searching for love and belonging.
About the Author
Kathleen Neely is a retired elementary principal, and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.
She is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes, The Least of These, Arms of Freedom, and In Search of True North. Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.
Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
More from Kathleen
I’d like to introduce myself and then share a little bit about my book, Arms of Freedom. I am a retired educator having taught preschool, fourth grade, and then moving into administration as an elementary principal. When I retired, I pursued my desire to write. My first novel, The Least of These, won first place in a contest titled Fresh Voices. That honor renewed my confidence, and since then, I’ve written five novels. Arms of Freedom is my first timeslip (dual timeline) novel.
Arms of Freedom was birthed during a time of racial tension in our nation; a time when social injustice and protests were forefront in the news. Many publishers safely avoided manuscripts with any mention of racial issues—perhaps a wise decision from a business perspective.
However, failure to look at our past denies us the opportunity to learn from history. Our fear of offending can push major historical offenses into a dark closet. I chose to illuminate those offenses by launching this book. Following the Civil War, the period of twelve years known as Reconstruction was perhaps the most brutal period of racial terrorism. The contents may be hard to read. I confess that I often wrote through tears.
In the end, I hope your takeaway is this: Regardless of race and ethnicity, all people are created in the image of God, a one-of-a-kind miracle, loved by Him, and created for a purpose. We are called to unity, to be perfectly one (John 17:23). May we join together in raising our arms of freedom to the Savior who released us from the captivity of sin.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. — John 8:36 NIV
I hope you enjoy Annie’s story as the life of this contemporary character intersects with Charlotte’s story from 150 years earlier. Both experience a coming-of-age change as they seek to escape from what holds them captive.
When Mallory Barrows finds an old diary in a box of books, the story she finds within sends her on the hunt for the owner–and maybe more.
Theirs is a story ripped from a country song. A wedding, a former love presumed dead, her new love stepping aside. And over forty years later, their story is one few remember.
With Mallory determined to find the people in the pages of that diary, one couple is offered the second chance of a lifetime.
This “second-chance / seasoned romance” novel introduces the next island in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.
More from Chautona
I was a weird child. While my friends were listening to… whatever 80s kids listened to, the enormous console in my bedroom played The Brothers Four, The Kingston Trio, Roger Miller, Billy Vaughn, Patsy Cline, and Patti Paige. One minute I was a “Rovin’ Gambler” and the next I was “Chug-a-lugging.” Hmmm… In hindsight, one could say I listened to some dubious music. Drinking, gambling… Oh, that reminds me of another one. The Sons of the Pioneers. “Cigarettes, Whiskey, and Wild, Wild Women. (Hint: they’ll drive you crazy. They’ll drive you insane. The song says so).
But there were other songs—beautiful ones. “Greenfields.” “Little Green Apples.” “You Belong to Me.” And of course… “Go on with the Wedding.”
If you’ve never heard it, you should listen. HERE.
That one used to tear me apart. I never could decide which man she should have chosen. I’m a sucker for the underdog—for a hero. So, I always said Fred. And I meant it. Right up to the moment I thought about Jim being away, fighting, finally making it home to his girl only to see her marry someone else. How horrible is that?
Well, one of the tropes I chose for my books in the Independence Islands was going to be a “second chance romance.” I also wanted a “seasoned romance,” so this song came to mind. And then I had my story. It’s not the one my twelve-year-old self would have wanted. Truthfully, it’s not the story I wanted to write today, but it’s the right one. It’s probably my favorite of all of the ones I’ve done in this series. I hope you’ll love Frank and Patti as much as I do.
All that’s left now is for me to write one more story—the one that has been forming through each book. It’s time for Mallory and Benjamin to both learn and write their story’s end (which of course, is only a beginning).
My Impressions
Chautona Havig has gotten me loving contemporary romance (not my fave genre), loving a song too old for me to like, and one I don’t even know! Oh, wait! I do remember looking it up and listening to it. The things a great author can do to you against your will!!
Finding a Memory by Chautona Havig first appealed to me because it was clear it featured older characters in a second-chance relationship. Part of the Independence Islands series, I enjoyed the book more because I was familiar with the other main couple who have been mentioned in past books.
Much of the book is presented as a mystery, as Mallory Barrows, owner of The Book Barrow, reads an old diary she finds. If you like The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, you will enjoy this novel. As the diary progresses, Mallory gets very emotionally involved in the lives of the people described. I couldn’t help myself. I was just as emotionally involved, but also in the lives of Mallory and her slow-moving boyfriend, Benjamin.
Ms. Havig always finds a way and the perfect time to insert truth. One time when the diarist was at her lowest, she writes, “This is what I learned. * God knows everything. * I don’t know everything. * I can trust God. * I have to seek Him first. * People will fail me. * God never will. * My job is to love God and others. * I must teach my child about God. * Jesus is my rock. Not …” Another favorite quote, so appropriate for what the character was going through: “The Lord had other plans that I don’t understand, but I do trust Him.”
One last (but these are not all) reason why I love this novel and all of Ms. Havig’s books- her sense of humor and ability to turn a phrase that never fails to make me smile. Which she does often! My fave example here? “That machine makes enough noise to make mummies in sarcophaguses plead for earplugs.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 