Unto us . . .

As the year winds down, I offer my heartfelt thanks to each of you for reading, commenting and allowing me the chance to get to know you better through this blog. This has been an incredible year, both incredibly wonderful and incredibly hard.

May God bless each of you - and may your holiday and the new year be full of the hope and peace that only Christ, our Savior, can bring. Merry Christmas! See you in 2013.

Rebecca's Rose by Jennifer Beckstrand

*In an effort to spread the word about my favorite type of book - inspirational romance - I occasionally share my recommendations for books in this genre.

Rebecca's Rose by Jennifer Beckstrand

What It's About:
When his widowed mother marries an outsider, Levi Cooper's family leaves the Amish community and Levi is raised Englisch. But Levi's world is shattered when the only father he knows divorces his mother and turns his back on the family. In his anger, Levi causes an accident that alters his life forever and sets him on the path of self-destruction. Does the pretty Amish girl from his old community hold the key to his heart and his redemption?

With her mother so ill, Rebecca Miller runs her household, cares for the small farm, and watches after her younger siblings while her father, unwilling to care for his wife, is absent for days at a time working out-of-town jobs. Even though she feels trapped in her dismal life, Rebecca is determined to fulfill the promise she made to a dying friend. Englischer Levi Cooper, with uncommon good looks and a mischievous glint in his eye, might be the boy who can help her do just that. But will his secrets tear them apart or will their growing attachment lead to the loss of everything she holds dear?

My Thoughts:
This is the first Amish book I've ever read and I quite enjoyed it! It was interesting learning about the Amish culture - this book takes place among the Wisconsin Amish. I really liked both Levi and Rebecca, and the romance between them is sweet and deep and wonderful. I also thought the conflict these two have to deal with is difficult yet poignant. This is the second of Jennifer's books, and although I haven't read the first, I didn't feel like I had to in order to "get" this story. It's a great read!  

Find it here on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.  

Joy Journal (Not sure what this is? Read last week's post here.)

• Made two chocolate pies for Thanksgiving!
• Found a good historical detail in my book research!
• Put up our Christmas tree as a family!

Have you read any Amish fiction? Do you have a favorite author of Amish fiction?

Out of the Norm

Right now I have four books on my nightstand that I've started, am half-way through or nearly finished. This is not normal for me. I typically have to read and complete one book before starting another, although sometimes I can do two, but four? :) And you'll notice none of these are my go-to genre - historical romances! Here they are:

Two of these books I'm reading (or re-reading in the case of Jane Austen Ruined My Life - it's my pick for next month) are for the book club I'm in. This month's book is Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy. I'd never heard of this one, but I've found it to be a really interesting read. It highlights a handful of US Senators through the ages and the critical decisions that required them to exercise courage, even at the cost of their careers and popularity.

That's what I love about being in a book club - I get to read things I wouldn't normally pick up. Take last month for example when we read the fantasy thriller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Fantasy isn't often on my to-read list and thrillers never :), but I really enjoyed the book.

So in amongst all the historicals, I find it's nice now and then to try something completely different. Like the four above. Now to finish them!

Do you read one or more books at a time? What's your go-to genre? Are you in a book club - if so, what types of books do you read?

WWI on My Mind

I'm in the middle of writing Book #2 in my WWI series. So although it's 2012 in the real world, it's 1918 in my head! :) I think this time period is so fascinating - the clothes, the cars, the budding technology, the brutality of a war where tanks, airplanes and machine guns were new. I also love the lesser known pieces of history from WWI.

This is a propaganda poster from 1917. Both liberty bonds and propaganda play a part in my first book in this series, which explores the conflict of a schoolteacher and a German-American handyman who fall in love while anti-German hysteria divides the population of their small Iowa town.

I knew a little about the German prejudice during WWI from a couple other novels I'd read, but it wasn't until I began researching it for this book, that I realized how rampant it really was. German-Americans changed their last names, German-sounding streets or cities were also changed, even sauerkraut became "liberty cabbage." German-Americans were forced to buy liberty bonds, were tarred and feathered, were made to kiss the flag and subjected to numerous other injustices. It was both interesting and sad to read accounts of what many Germans here in the U.S. faced during the war.

How much do you know about WWI? Is it a time period that you find interesting or would like to learn more about? Like me, are you counting down the days until Downton Abbey starts again? :)

Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered the An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere giveaway. The winners of the two advanced reader copies are ... karenk and Jes! I'll be emailing you, ladies, for your addresses. Congratulations; it's a great read. The book releases October 30th, but you can pre-order it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere

*In an effort to spread the word about my favorite type of book - inspirational romance - I occasionally share my recommendations for books in this genre.

An Heiress at Heart by Jennifer Delamere

What It's About:
A youthful indiscretion has cost Lizzie Poole more than just her honor. After five years living in exile, she's finally returning home, but she's still living a secret life. Her best friend Ria's dying wish was for Lizzie to assume her identity, return to London, and make amends that Ria herself would never live to make. Bearing a striking resemblance to her friend, and harboring more secrets than ever before, Lizzie embarks on a journey that tempts her reckless heart once again . . .

A committed clergyman, Geoffrey Somerville's world is upended when he suddenly inherits the title of Lord Somerville. Now he's invited to every ball and sought after by the matchmaking mothers of London society. Yet the only woman to capture his heart is the one he cannot have: his brother's young widow, Ria. Duty demands he deny his feelings, but his heart longs for the mysterious beauty. With both their futures at stake, will Lizzie be able to keep up her façade? Or will she find the strength to share her secret and put her faith in true love?

My Thoughts:
The premise of this book drew me in right away - a young woman pretending to be her best friend in high society London! I love the characters in this book. Lizzie is an independent heroine, trying to do what she thinks is best as she attempts to right the past. Geoffrey is a fabulous hero - serious but kind! And James is the perfect flirty, not-a-care-in-the-world cousin who provides great humor. The romance is full of great chemistry between the characters, while never crossing a line - and though, I did have to wait a bit for the hero and heroine to kiss, it was well-worth it. :) The inspirational/faith elements of the story are very light and will definitely appeal to those who like the romance to be at the center of the story. I can't wait for the other two books in the series!

Giveaway!

I'm giving away TWO advanced reader copies of An Heiress at Heart! If you'd like to enter the giveaway, just a leave a comment on this post between now and next Tuesday (the 23rd). I'll randomly select two commenters and announce the winners on my post next Wednesday.

Excited About What I'm Reading!

My to-read pile beside my bed is so large right now that I've had to relegate some of the books to my closet shelf! I'm currently reading an advanced reader copy of this book.

And I'm really enjoying it! This is Grand Central's first inspirational historical romance - and it's a good one. I'm excited to be part of the team with my WWI series and I will definitely be giving Jennifer's book my recommendation!

What are you excited about reading?

*Today Jessica Nelson is reviewing Lady Outlaw on her blog and doing a giveaway!

 

A Pic and a Post!

(Look what we found in Walmart this weekend!)

Today I'm answering questions over on Melissa Tagg's blog, which is quite an honor. She has a fabulous blog, plus Melissa is funny and nice!

Come find out more about my upcoming WWI series with Grand Central Publishing and enter to win a copy of LADY OUTLAW.

*To see where else I've been this month, check out the side bar for all the details on the LADY OUTLAW blog tour for September!