Tuesday, May 19, 2015

A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade- Your Heart Will Swoon, Soar and even Skip a Beat!


My Thoughts:

A Love Like Ours, by Becky Wade, is Everything. Wonderful. And more! Horse racing, fairy tales, childhood friendship, heroes, cowboys, Peanut Butter Cups and "kissing her like he was never going to stop". (Did I get your attention?) The main characters, Jake and Lyndie, have been best friends from childhood. Here's a peek at the first page...




I was in love with A Love Like Ours from the very first sentence. Jake was Lyndie's protector and hero and Lyndie was full of adventure and heart. They relied on each other from such a tender age. Yep, I was swooning from page 1!  Of course, you never know what God has in store for your life and that's where the story picks up, 20 years later...

Jake and Lyndie are absolutely meant for each other. You will cheer for them through the entire story! Lyndie is adorable. She has a passion for animals, writes and illustrates children's book (I particularly enjoyed her inner thoughts of character creation and how they were often inspired by friends and family- delightful!) Lyndie is also a determined and devoted lady with a heart for the Lord. Jake is a broken man suffering from PTSD after a horrific tour in Iraq. Nightmares and guilt plague him day and night and his faith in God is pretty much non-existent. When he sees Lyndie after 20 years he avoids her as he sees himself as no longer a good enough person to be her friend. Thank goodness, Lyndie has other plans and God steps in to set things right.

There is so much that I loved about A Love Like Ours.  Becky Wade certainly knows how to create memorable characters. The chemistry she develops between them makes me giggle, cry and occasionally blush. :) I remember names long after the story is over- talk about leaving an impression! I also love how each person has a special gift, just like God gives each of us. In particular, I as impressed with Lyndie's sister, Mollie. Mollie has severe cerebral palsy that has left her blind and nonverbal. Though she spends her life being cared for by others she has a special ability to heal others, at least in Lyndie's eyes. Their relationship is precious. Of course, I love, love, love reading about Jake and Lyndie. I want to post a few snippets but that would ruin it for you- so I'll let you discover their romance all on your own. You should run and out and get a copy- right now. A Love Like Ours will go right on top of your book stack!

Becky Wade is one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints her readers! If you enjoy romance mixed with delightful humor, clever bantering between characters and memorable individuals that youll grow to think of as friends then  I guarantee you'll swoon over for stories, too.



About the book:
A Love Like Ours (Bethany House, May 2015)

Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake's childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion's reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake's will, Lyndie's sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he's built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he'd thought he'd lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

Purchase a copy:
 http://bit.ly/1R9Tv8p


About the author:

Becky Wade
 is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, took time off to raise her children, then felt God nudging her to pursue contemporary Christian fiction. Becky's work has been a finalist for both a RITA and an INSPY Award.

Find Becky online: websiteFacebookTwitter

Fall in love with Becky Wade's new book, A Love Like Ours, a story of healing, romance, and cowboys. A glimmer of the hope Jake thought he’d lost returns when Lyndie lands back in Texas, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?




To celebrate the release of her new book, Becky is giving away a $100 cash card and a book-inspired prize pack!






lovelikeours-400 



One grand prize winner will receive:





love like ours - prize pack 



Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 26th. Winner will be announced May 27th on Becky's site.






lovelikeours-enterbanner

  • A $100 cash card

  • A copy of A Love Like Ours

  • A copy of the Secretariat DVD

  • A scarf

  • A dog-tag/cross keychain

  • A pair of earrings

  • A Scarf

  • A Texas-shaped cutting board

  • A Jake Porter mug



*I was given this wonderful love story by Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.*



Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Truly Free By Robert Morris- A Godsend to the Hurting and Hopeless


My Thoughts:

Are you struggling with a weight on your soul that you can't release? Are you unable to break free? As Christians we know in our hearts that God is forgiving and wants us to be happy but sometimes we just can't get past our problems, trials or mistakes. When we truly repent and ask forgiveness from the Lord then we are on the way to healing. Of course, the enemy wants to hold us hostage and captive by our doubts and fears.  I believe that God sent Truly Free (by way of BookLook Bloggers), written by Robert Morris. to me. It's truly a godsend as emotional suffering and pain from past sins had recently begun to wreak havoc on my soul. If you're experiencing hardships due to repeated mistakes you can't seem to quit or past mistakes you can't get over this book will be a certain blessing to you, too.

I appreciated how Robert Morris shared his personal experiences with his readers. He, too, had trouble breaking free from sin (pornography) in his life. It's a daily struggle for all of us to conquer temptation but some sins have deeper roots and are harder to conquer. Through Bible verses and stories Mr. Morris talks to us as if he's a good friend. A dear friend that loves the Lord and cares about others very much. I cried often as I read through the pages of Truly Free. The guiding words and loving prayers were a healing balm and an encouragement to me. I can't tell you how much I needed to read this book. If you're struggling, I greatly encourage you to also read it. God loves you. He forgives you. Don't let Satan and his demons hold you hostage. Praise the Lord, there is hope for the hurting and hopeless! Thank you Robert Morris for writing this book and thank you God for your  endless grace and forgiveness!


An important reminder on what keeps us from being truly free...
Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18). As believers, we have Christ and never need to be afraid. Yet it's also true that we are not immune to the effects of evil. Christ has conquered sin and death, but in his infinite wisdom-for reasons that are often difficult for us to understand-evil is still permitted to exist. Even if we're saved and trust in Christ, we may still find areas in which we just can't get victory. Maybe it's a sin we've confessed again and again or a constant struggle with depression, anger, or lust. These long-imbedded patterns of shameful living continue to entangle us day after day, month after month, and even year after year.
In Truly Free best-selling author Robert Morris invites us into a glorious truth-that the promise of being set free from the slavery of sin is a promise to be set free completely. Although evil is real and Christians can be oppressed by it, we have the promise that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Jesus saves us, trains us to resist the power of evil, and delivers us from anything that holds us back. With Jesus, we can be finally free forever.
About the Author
Robert Morris is the founding senior pastor of Gateway Church, a multicampus, evangelistic, Spirit-empowered church in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He is featured on the weekly television program The Blessed Life and is the bestselling author of eleven books, including The Blessed Life, The God I Never Knew, and The Power of Your Words.


*This wonderful book was given to me by BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received.*