Lean On Me (Family is Forever, Book One)

PAT SIMMONS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2020.

How acquired: Via Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, the best subscription box around.

First line: Marcus Whittington wasn't expecting to see a woman on his surveillance camera, trespassing on his domain.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: A new to me author. Tabitha and her sisters are taking turns caring for their elderly Aunt Tweet, who has dementia/Alzheimer's. Aunt Tweet is living with Tabitha for six months, and Tabitha is realizing being a caregiver is harder than it sounds. When Aunt Tweet manages to slip out of the house and wander the neighborhood, she sits on a neighbor's porch. He thinks Tabitha is not caring for her aunt properly and that her safety is at stake, and keeps threatening to call the police. So right off the bat, from their first meeting, we have two characters at odds with each other, which is one of my favorite ways for a book to start! Though I do like a little more bickering than what goes on here, but Tabitha also holds her tongue because she wants to appear to be doing well with Aunt Tweet, no matter how stressed she is, and doesn't want Marcus to carry out his threats.

I've never been a caregiver, and I hope I don't ever have to be. It sounds like hard work and stress inducing, no matter how much you love the person you're caring for. Tabitha took a lower paying job in order to not have to travel, and has rearranged her life for Aunt Tweet, but Tweet has been one of the most important people in her and her sisters' lives and they all adore her, so it's a sacrifice they are all willing to make.

And who can blame her? Aunt Tweet is delightful. And I very much liked Tabitha as well. She's strong and determined to do the best she can for her aunt. And when Marcus decided to appoint himself as Tabitha's caregiver, aw man, I was a goner. I only have a dog and a cat to care for, but I still need a Marcus!

This is a Christian book, so the romance is very clean, which was fine with me. I like the build up, and the relationship between Tabitha and Marcus moved along at a believable pace as they got to know each other better. There is also a subplot about two of the employees of the janitorial service Marcus runs with his brother, which gave a lot of insight into Marcus's character. And when Aunt Tweet suddenly decides she needs to go to church every week, Tabitha of course has to go with her, and then eventually Marcus joins them, and the sections with them at church were some of my favorites.

All around, this is a heartwarming story, and I'll never look at a caregiver the same way. Tabitha's younger sister, Rachel, gets to have Aunt Tweet with her for the next six months, and her story comes next, so there's that to look forward to!

Goodreads synopsis: Tabitha Knicely loves her career as a pharmaceutical rep, but even her health care knowledge isn't much help with the daily challenges she now faces caring for her aunt with Alzheimer's. Her once organized lifestyle is in disarray and her patience is tested. On Sunday mornings, when Aunt Tweet drags her to church, though Tabitha isn't a believer, the peaceful presence of faith is a welcome relief.
Marcus Whittington believes in second chances, so he hires former inmates to staff the industrial cleaning service he owns with his brother. When a mystery woman who keeps showing up on his porch turns out to be an elderly neighbor, Marcus is outraged at what he perceives as neglect on the part of her caregiver.
Marcus soon learns that being a caregiver is a demanding, compassionate act of kindness that he has never experienced before. After several encounters with Aunt Tweet and Tabitha, his heart is drawn to the family's distress. Marcus is determined to help Tabitha, and a friendship that started out with a grave misunderstanding soon begins to blossom into a relationship filled with love, faith, and partnership. Life is easier, when you have someone to lean on.

The Judge Who Stole Christmas

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT SOME MAY CONSIDER SPOILERS.

RANDY SINGER

Stats for my copy: Hardback, WaterBrook Press, 2005.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: “Doggone it,” grunted Thomas, glancing toward the Holstein as the big fella lifted its tail.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I'm not a religious person, and I found it hard to relate to or even really sympathize with Thomas. I think mostly because of the snippet of back story we were given, about how his and Theresa's two year old son had died of appendicitis because they prayed for three days before finally seeking medical care. If I hadn't known that, I probably would've more easily sympathized with his won't-back-down stance.

I did like Jasmine, and her struggle - balancing life and coming to terms with choosing the high paying corporate law job over making a difference in her hometown - was played out well. The judge...well, of course in the end it came down to putting her personal feelings aside and following the letter of the law, but why did she have to be so rude and condescending in the meantime? Though that was probably a defense mechanism she had learned to employ.

Overall, it was an okay read. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it.

Goodreads synopsis: It starts innocently enough in the town square of Possum, Virginia. But it ends up as a spectacular national scandal: Can a federal judge outlaw Christmas? Thomas Hammond and his wife play Joseph and Mary in the annual live nativity scene in their hometown. But a federal judge rules the display unconstitutional – and a Christmas showdown ensues. Thomas refuses to abide by the court order...and ends up in jail. From the courtrooms of Virginia to the talk shows of New York City, the battle escalates into a national media spectacle. Caught in the middle is law student Jasmine Woodfaulk – assigned to represent Thomas as part of her school's legal aid clinic. Only a surprising series of events – nearly as humbling and unexpected as the origins of the season itself – can reconcile a stubborn father, a crusading law student and a recalcitrant judge.

Deadly Deceit (Harbored Secrets, Book Two)

NATALIE WALTERS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2019.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

First line: In the face of small-town news, all creativity left Vivian DeMarco.

My thoughts: I loved the first book in this series so much, I was very excited to get this second book, and I think I may love it even more. Though if I went back and read the first book again, I might love it more. Maybe. I love both of them! And such beautiful covers!

We met Vivian, a hard hitting investigative journalist, in the first book. I don't remember her being the most likable person in that book, but at the end she showed she was a decent person by killing a story that could have hurt Lane, the heroine. Now we learn that that decision cost Vivian her job, and she is back in Walton, working for the local paper. She's not thrilled to be there, but it's just a stepping stone to a job at a larger paper down the road. We also met Deputy Ryan Frost in the first book. A computer hacker genius, he's being headhunted by practically every agency out there – FBI, CIA, along with private security firms. But he's finding it hard to make a decision when it means leaving Walton – and his mother and sister, who he's taken care of ever since his father abandoned their family.

The mystery was very interesting and quite different than I've come across before, involving cyber crimes, blackmail, and murder. Vivian's boss, Harold, who had become a friend and mentor, dies in the first chapter, seemingly from an allergic reaction but later determined to be murder. With his last words he tells Vivian to find Lauren, and that becomes her mission. She doesn't know who Lauren is or what Harold's interest in Lauren is, but she is determined to track her down, and to figure out who killed Harold, as are Ryan and the rest of the police force, and of course they bump heads.

Vivian and Ryan are both wonderfully written characters, both of whom come with a lot of baggage. There's a lot of internalizing, which I love. Ryan is being pulled in different directions, and feels that if he takes a job somewhere else he will be abandoning his mom and sister, just like his dad did. Vivian has her own father/abandonment issues, and feels unworthy of, well, anything that can bring happiness. She's resisted putting down roots, resisted the friendships offered her in Walton, and resists the idea of falling in love with Ryan. It was quite heart warming to watch them each grow as their values change (or at least Vivian's do), and even though the story takes place over a relatively short period of time there was nothing rushed about their relationship and the way it progressed.

I love Ms. Walter's writing, and as with the first book I was completely drawn in from the first few pages and very invested in the outcome. This book can be read as a standalone but I would urge readers to not skip the first book. And I will be eagerly awaiting the next book!

Goodreads synopsis: Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason -- to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth -- and the next big story -- is small-town law enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers -- and her life.

Mending Fences (The Deacon's Family, Book One)

SUZANNE WOODS FISHER

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2019.

How acquired: Revell Reads for review.

First line: A year had passed since Luke Schrock's exile from Stoney Ridge began.

My thoughts: Luke Schrock and Izzy Miller are two lost souls, and a little unique, at least in my experience. I don't think I've ever come across a main character in an Amish story who had a history of drug/alcohol abuse. But both Luke and Izzy have been in rehab. It was refreshing.

Izzy is a sweet character, young but not idealistic. She had a rough childhood in the foster care system. She's happy with her new life, and grateful to the community for accepting her and giving her a place to belong, even if she's not sure it's a permanent arrangement. The only thing missing is her mother, who she hasn't seen since she was five, and who she's desperately – and secretly - trying to find.

Luke is treated as a pariah by the community he was born into, after having terrorized nearly everyone with practical jokes and vandalism before being sent to rehab. He's a somewhat sweet character himself, and I felt the book was a little more his story than Izzy's. Or maybe I was just more drawn to him. He's a little bitter in the beginning. Upset that his mother can't be bothered to be there to greet him when Bishop David brings him home from rehab. And he's not too happy to learn that he'll be boarding at Windmill Farm, and sleeping in the barn. And when David presents him with a list of people he wronged and tells him it's time to mend fences, he's not thrilled at the prospect of approaching each person to apologize for his past transgression, and then having to ask them if his actions had any adverse effects on them. Which for some, the effects were very adverse.

From the synopsis I thought this would be more of a romance. And as Luke and Izzy got to know each other better it seemed to be headed that way, but it never quite got there. Not to say it wasn't an enjoyable story. It was more about Luke's redemption and Izzy's finding herself. But this is the first book in a series, so I suspect their story isn't over.

I really enjoyed watching Luke on his fence mending journey, and how his character developed and became more self aware. Izzy also grew over the course of the book, but her growth was more subtle, as her journey began off page, prior to the start of the book. For both characters, learning to trust in God and give themselves over to Him was also part of the journey. But it wasn't all serious. Some of my favorite scenes were about a mischievous raccoon and Bob the horse keeping Luke from sleeping at night. And watching Luke seriously dig in and try to help the people he had wronged was heartwarming. The ending was surprising, and I teared up more than once by the time I reached the last page.

Many of the characters in the book were introduced or appeared in one (or more) of the author's other series, none of which I've read, but I didn't feel I'd missed anything. All in all, this was an enjoyable, easy read, and while I don't feel the need to rush out and find everything else the author has written, I would like to continue with this series and will likely pick up anything else by her that I happen across. 

Goodreads synopsis: Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.
Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him.

Amos and Fern Lapp allow Luke to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, Luke must make a sincere apology to each person he's hurt--a four-page, single-spaced list. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused.

Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused . . . that isn't so simple. It's gut-wrenching.

And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm. Luke's clumsy efforts to befriend Izzy only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge.

Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher returns to her beloved Stoney Ridge for this brand-new series featuring some of her readers' favorite characters.

River to Redemption

ANN H. GABHART

Goodreads synopsis: Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who stayed in Springfield, Kentucky, when anyone with means had fled. A man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions. Now nineteen, Adria has never forgotten what Louis did for her. She's determined to find a way to buy Louis's freedom. But in 1840s Kentucky, she'll face an uphill battle. 

Based partly on a true story, Ann H. Gabhart's latest historical novel is a tour de force. The vividly rendered town of Springfield and its citizens immerse readers in a story of courage, betrayal, and honor that will stick with them long after they turn the last page.

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2018.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blog Tour Program.

First line: Adria Starr didn't want her mother and little brother to stop breathing the way her father had.

My thoughts: The book opens when Adria is seven years old, and has just been orphaned by a cholera epidemic. The town has been devastated by the disease, with most of the townsfolk who are healthy enough to do so leaving. Louis is a slave, property of the owner of the local hotel, who also leaves town, giving Louis his keys and instructing him to take care of things. At this point Louis could have fled “across the river” to freedom, but instead he goes around town tending to the ill and respectfully burying the dead, becoming a local hero. When he finds young Adria, he takes her back to the hotel, where he and Matilda, another slave, take care of her. Ruth is the newly widowed wife of the local schoolteacher. With the loss of her beloved husband, her life has been completely shattered, but when Louis approaches her about taking in Adria, she agrees.

Cut to twelve years later. Ruth has taken over her husband's position as schoolteacher and never remarried. Adria is a secretly budding abolitionist. Everyone, herself included, assumes she will marry her childhood sweetheart, Carlton, but despite his pushing for an answer she keeps putting him off. She and Louis have remained close, and she hates that he is a slave, that he's not free.

When the town gets a new preacher, a romance slowly builds between him and Ruth, and I really enjoyed that storyline. Neither is looking for a relationship, neither has any desire to remarry, but they are drawn to each other almost against their wills. I probably would've been content with a book just about Ruth and her preacher. But much as I enjoyed her story, I found Ruth a little hard to relate to. She loves Adria, and Adria loves her. But they never seemed to develop a mother/daughter relationship until the very end. It is mentioned more than once that while Ruth agreed to raise Adria, and took care of her and provided for her and has always put her best interests first, she was unable to be what Adria really wanted – a family. We, the reader, don't see Adria grow up with Ruth, but I got the impression that there weren't lots of hugs and kisses and I love yous exchanged. I kept reminding myself throughout the book that Ruth was devastated to lose her husband, devastated that she and her husband did not have children, that Ruth was mentally in a bad place when she took on Adria, that she had her own struggles. But I still couldn't imagine raising a little girl and not showering her with affection, regardless of whether or not she were your own biological child. It basically kept me feeling at arms length from Ruth.

A character I enjoyed is Caleb, who arrives with the drovers who pass through, and then gets a job in town. He and Carlton are complete opposites, and while Adria tells herself to have nothing to do with him, she can't help but like him. He's a bit insufferable and stalkery, and I loved their interactions. I also loved the scenes between him and a jealous Carlton.

During the first few chapters the narration, the writing, felt a little simplistic, though fitting since the point of view was from a seven year old child. But then when Adria is grown up, it still felt that way, and it took me awhile to really get into the story and stop noticing that. And the further into the book I went the more and more invested I became. As Adria felt torn between Carlton and Logan, I was rooting for Logan, and then I wasn't, and then I sort of was again.

Slavery is talked about very matter of factly and is, of course, a big theme of the book, as Adria begins to rally the townspeople to raise money to buy Louis so he can then be freed. I don't want to describe it as “feel good”, because the subject of slavery can't possibly be feel good, but seeing the reactions as money is raised was heartwarming, and I did get teary eyed.

Overall, the book was enjoyable, with a lot of sweet moments, and a wonderful resolution.

No Less Days

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS A PARAGRAPH THAT SOME MAY CONSIDER A SPOILER.

AMANDA G. STEVENS

Goodreads synopsis: How many lifetimes can God expect one man to live? Over a century old, David Galloway isolates himself from the mortal humans who die or desert him by making a quiet life as a used bookstore owner in Northern Michigan. But then he spots a news article about a man who, like him, should be dead.

Daredevil celebrity Zachary Wilson walked away unscathed from what should have been a deadly fall. David tracks the man down, needing answers. Soon David discovers a close-knit group of individuals as old as he is who offer the sort of kinship and community he hasn’t experienced for decades—but at what cost?

David finds himself keeping secrets other than his own. . .protecting more than himself alone. He’ll have to decide what’s worth the most to him—security or community. When crimes come to light that are older than any mortal, he fears the pressure is more than he can stand. What does God require of him, and is David strong enough to see it through?

Stats for my copy: .pdf ARC, Shiloh Run Press, expected publication date May 1, 2018.

How acquired: Via BookishFirst.

First line: His books were burning. 

My thoughts: I entered to win this book from BookishFirst because the title and cover caught my eye first, and then the synopsis and first page piqued my interest. So I was excited to learn I'd won a copy. The pace is a bit slow in the beginning, with a very interesting premise. David Galloway is over a hundred years old, and has no idea why he cannot die. He's built himself a solitary life, revolving around his bookstore, and has closed himself off to friendships and relationships with others. Then he meets three men and a woman who already know who he is, and who are also immortal, and know how they – and David – gained their immortality. From that point the pace picked up quickly, and I sat up late a couple of nights because I was more interested in the book than my bed.

Before meeting the others, David thought that his immortality was a burden beyond his understanding that God had placed on him. While I liked the direction the story took, and I'm not a religious person, I thought it would've been very intriguing if David's belief was correct, and God had purposely chosen him to carry that burden. But I was happy to start getting to know the group who welcomed him into their fold and became his people. Everyone should have people that they can think of as their people.

There was a nice little side plot about a clerk in David's store who is in an abusive relationship, and a hopeful romance growing between David and his assistant, Tiana.

When I was a few pages from the end I began to fear that it was going to suddenly wrap up all neat and tidy in too short a span of time. But no, the book just ended, the way each day of the week ends. Some issues resolved, others not, and tomorrow is another day. I sure hope this is the start of a series, because I was not quite ready to leave David and his new friends behind.